Star Wars: Knights of the Dawning Republic
by Natasha Vera
Summary: General Organa has died, leaving in her wake a terrible war that does not seem to have an end in sight. On one side, Kylo Ren who has expanded the First Order, on the other Rey who has grown stronger in the Force and in the Resistance. Fate will bring these two together, forcing them to fight side-by-side to confront an even greater enemy rising in the horizon.
1. Chapter 1

_So, Episode Nine was taking too long and I needed my Reylo fix..._

 _This is my first foray into Star Wars fiction, although I have been a fan of the franchise all my life. Please inform me of any type-os that need correcting or if you genuinely enjoy it, leave a comment letting me know!_

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…

Star Wars

Episode IX

Knights of the Dawning Republic

Two years have passed since the ascension of Kylo Ren as Supreme Leader of the FIRST ORDER. In this brief period, Kylo has amassed an astonishing collection of planetary systems to pledge their allegiance to the First Order, thanks greatly to his contacts with shipyards in the Unknown Region. Such forces have scattered the tattered REPUBLIC to the far reaches of the Galaxy where a loyal few provide them with shelter and supplies.

Kylo has also given rise to the elusive and mysterious Knights of Ren, using them as his personal bodyguards as well as an elite mercenary squad. Though he has proven himself to be a formidable ruler, Kylo senses a great civil disturbance brewing within the First Order.

Meanwhile, Rey has grown to become the second best pilot in the RESISTANCE fleet beside mentor Poe Dameron. Though she feels a strong connection to the Force, she has elected to set aside reading the powerful Jedi Texts in favor of furthering a foothold for the REBELS. She has quickly become the Resistance's key player, allowing Poe to focus on regaining his position as fleet commander. Though she has formed family bonds among them, Rey feels a great pull weighing against her, threatening her newfound joy.

Unbeknownst to the First Order and the Resistance, the Force continues to connect Kylo and Rey through dreams and occasional interludes where they might speak face to face. Heartbroken and disappointed with one another, the two have refused to speak.

Fate, however, will bring these reluctant forces together through a tragedy that will shake the Galaxy to it's core…

Chapter One

A dreadnought hovered over Takodana's atmosphere, its entire left side on fire, alarms panicking on deaf space as it limped onward. Zooming around it was a fleet of Tie Fighter jets, pursued by a handful of Rebel X Wings, weaving dangerously close to the falling ship as they fired both at each other.

Inside the dreadnought, at the very heart of the ship, a small blue image of General Hux appeared to the flushed and panicked flight crew. His arms crossed behind him, and through the chaos of crashing, he looked annoyed. A black clad admiral staggered forward, gripping a side rail as a rebel torpedo rammed the ship's starboard flank, determined to answer the call.

The blue image shifted his weight, as though a ship under duress was an entirely mundane occurrence. "Admiral Mitre, can you or can you not recover this vessel?"

Admiral Mitre wiped his brow with a leather glove and huffed toward the hologram. "Sir, we've lost our third turbine. We have no choice but to secure a rough landing."

"Let me make things perfectly clear, Admiral," General Hux growled, his hands dropping to his sides. "This dreadnought is pivotal in the First Order's plans for central system defense. I suggest you forward the information you have to the _Finalizer_ at once!"

A Tie Fighter somersaulted and exploded near the cockpit bridge, shaking Admiral Mitre and the control officers.

"We've tried, sir!" Admiral Mitre shouted over the din. "The rebels shot out our long range transmitter and we haven't enough fuel for hyperdrive. Our only option is to put her down hard and fight our way forward!"

"Correction, Admiral, you have two options," General Hux paused, glowering his meaning. "Make sure the Rebels do not get those plans… at any cost." The hologram faded.

Admiral Mitre inhaled deeply, sweat pounding down his face as he looked at a wall of horribly drawn, childlike pictures tacked to a clear space. He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them. "Lieutenant, full speed towards Takodana!"

"But, sir!" The officer cried his own face flinching towards the children's drawings for a moment, "At full speed the fall will completely destroy the ship and us with it!"

"Do it," Admiral Mitre urged, pressing his forehead to a metal frame, the child pictures searing into his mind. "Long live the First Order."

BB-8 beeped, watching the dreadnought shift course. Quickly, he chirped a flurry of droidspeak to garner his pilot's attention. From inside the cockpit of a barely touched X Wing, Poe Dameron turned his head, "I see it, BB-8." Poe touched the talk button on his comlink, "All units, the dreadnought is changing course. It looks like a suicide decision."

From a safe distance away, in a long cruiser ship, Finn watched a holotable project the battle, frowning at the small blue X-Wing jets and TIEs. "Why would the First Order throw away a dreadnought like that?" He breathed, almost to himself.

He turned to look over his shoulder, eyes locking on the blonde buns of Lieutenant Kaydel Connix as she listened to transmissions from the First Order.

"Connix!" Finn called, making her turn to him. "What have you intercepted?"

"I'm ten minutes behind, but I'm picking up a transmission from the _Finalizer_. Whatever it is, it's orders from the top." She shot up her finger at him, jamming the headphones back to her ears.

Finn turned back to the hologram, pushing the commlink button to talk with Poe, "Poe, the dreadnought had a transmission with General Hux's ship. Whatever it is, it's important enough for an audience with the high command general."

Poe grinned into his windshield, barrel rolling to avoid colliding with two TIEs. Once righted, he replied, "That makes it an important break for us. Finn, can you tell us why this dreadnought?"

Finn looked to Connix, waving his hand in askance. She shook her head, holding up her palm as she listened. He turned back to Poe, "Intel is coming slow, but Hux wouldn't tune in for nothing."

"Got it," Poe told him. "Alright rebels, word from the _Protestor_ is this dreadnought just got real pretty. All units focus on slowing that downfall."

Almost at once, the different voices of the resistance pilots answered, "Roger that, commander."

There was, however, only one voice in opposition of this command. "Poe, how are we to stop them without destroying the dreadnought in the process?"

BB-8 beeped once more, in agreement.

Poe raised his eyebrows for a moment. "Alright," He breathed, "They've got one good thruster, and a whole lot of fuel. We let the fuel out and it catches fire, it will deoxidize in space and we should all be alright."

"Poe, look at that hole on the left!"

"Hang on BB-8!" Poe wrenched on the steering wheel into another barrel roll, narrowly missing three TIEs, two of them colliding with each other and the third getting shot down by Poe himself. As he straightened, Poe looked to the rear of the dreadnought, seeing a gaping hole large enough for a ship to enter and cause damage to the inhabitants.

"I see it!" Poe told her.

Rey moved her head from Poe's ship to the dreadnought, her breathing steady. "That dreadnought is bleeding oxygen! If it mixes with fuel and the fire from the thrusters, it will ignite and can lead back to the dreadnought itself."

Poe nodded, gritting his teeth. "That hole is big enough for one X-Wing to slip into and blow the fuel from the inside. Alright, here's what we're going to do-"

A TIE shot at Poe, destabilizing his ship. BB-8 squealed in his position, dropping down into the bowels to begin repairing the jet and extinguishing fires.

"I'm hit!" Poe cried, his control panel surging with red alerts and accompanying alarms. "I've got to land! Commencing emergency landing on Takodana!"

Rey's heart fluttered, her eyes flicking from Poe's smoking ship to the dreadnought, then back again. She switched from cannons to torpedos, and fired, immediately destroying the TIE that stalked Poe. "Take care, Poe!" She called, watching him seep into the atmosphere.

She turned her attention back to the dreadnought. It was gaining more speed as it's nose began to fire with the atmosphere. "I will handle the dreadnought! I will need some cover!"

"Roger that, Blue Five," A voice of the rebellion answered.

"Careful, Rey!" Finn warned, his heart racing at the thought of her speeding headfirst towards something so brazen and dangerous.

"Don't worry, Finn," Rey grinned, firing and blowing up another TIE, "I can do this!"

Finn smiled, his finger lifting off the talk button, "Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of."

Rey angled her ship towards the dreadnought's gaping wound, her fellow Rebel firing rapidly over her. She looked quickly to Poe, seeing his ship engulf in atmospheric fury before being hidden behind a cloud. She turned back to the task at hand, heart beginning to jammer out of her chest. Slowly, she closed her eyes, dipping into the Force like wading into a warm bath.

Space, vast and quiet. The stars, flickering and exhausting the last bit of natural gas before burning up. But there was more to it. Chaos, the battle; ships zooming in and out of range of cannons. Life, the inhabitants of the dreadnought; the breathing of pilots as they held their breaths as they fired. Sorrow, the plummet to death… Too much sorrow.

She opened her eyes, the dreadnought's hole nearing faster and faster. Rey called to the Force, letting it flow down her arms and into her fingers that gripped the yoke and thrust. She thrust forward, pulling away from her covering rebel, then pulled back suddenly, landing cleanly into the dreadnought.

The black tiled hull was on fire, the bodies of unfortunate Storm Troopers and crew strewn about, half frozen from the exposure to space. Rey turned her jet to the wall that contained the fuel cells. The Force tugged at her, urging her not to use cannons or torpedoes against the fragile metal. She reached up and clicked to small range blasts, levitating her jet to aim downwards at the cell funnel and fired. In two shots, brown liquid began gushing out of a cell, spilling onto the fragmented floor. She called to the Force once more, feeling it well enough to turn and shoot down another cell.

"Rey!" Finn called in her ear, "The dreadnought's descent has begun to slow, but it's not slow enough. Gravity will still kill them, you've got to get out of there!"

She gave an exasperated, "Gah!" then aimed her jet to the hole and flew out gently. The moment she reentered space, her eyes widened. "The TIEs are jumping into hyperspace!"

Like water droplets on a black canvas, the Tie Fighters zoomed, then cut away from the fray, leaving the rebels to fly about in absolute peace. In her commlink, she could hear the rebels whoop with joy. They would live to fight another day!

Rey ignored them, however, turning to the dreadnought as it began it's descent onto the peaceful planet of Takodana.

"Rey, you did all you can do," Finn's voice cooed.

She inhaled, the Force vibrating all around her. She could do more, she could feel the Force encouraging her to lift her hand from the yoke and thrust, and close her eyes to concentrate once more. Obedient, she reached out, the fabric of her gloves brushing the glass of her windshield. Slow, she thought, inhaling deeply. Slow. It was difficult, manipulating the Force all around the massive dreadnought. Her temples squeezed and she curled her lip back over her top teeth, concentrating with all her might on making the dreadnought fall like a snail upon a leaf.

"Rey! Rey are you using the Force?"

She gasped, doing her best to not be distracted. "Yes, Finn." She hissed.

"Alright, hang on!" Finn bolted from his position at the observation hologram to another behind him. "Maz! Maz! Are the Rebels in position?"

This hologram projected an entire scene with a three foot alien wearing magnifying glasses over thumbprint sized eyes waiting with her hands on her hips, a blaster in it's holster. She turned the second Finn called to her, "Well I'm not waiting for tea."

"Can you see the dreadnought from your place?"

Maz Kanata turned her back to him, adjusting her glasses as she looked up. "Yes, yes! I see it!"

"How fast would you say it's coming down?"

"Slowly," She turned back to Finn. "I would almost say it's stopped in midair."

"Right, Maz. You and the Rebels be prepared to overtake the crew and aid survivors."

Maz lifted a rifle bigger than she was and cocked it, "Got it!"

Finn bolted back to the observation hologram and pressed the talk button, "Rey, Maz and the Rebels are going to apprehend the dreadnought, you can let it go, now."

Rey shuddered, her grip on the Force slipping. The dreadnought was far too heavy, but she trusted the Force, holding it into place as she thought. If it landed directly on it's nose, it could compromise any information the Republic could use. But the rear had already been evacuated because of the hole…

She concentrated, holding on to the nose of the dreadnought, and pushed the rest, turning the floating triangle on it's side. The hairs beneath her nose began to tickle, leading all the way to the back of her throat. She reached out with both hands, squeezing her eyes shut and gritting her teeth, pushing and pulling the Force to turn the dreadnought until it had turned well around. Two feelings began to add to the Force around her: shock followed by sheer joy.

Blood dribbled over her lip and spread across her teeth, the salted metal taste unnerving her. Suddenly, it felt as though a lightsaber was sliding slowly through her brain. Let go! Her core told her. Rey, let go!

She released her grip of the Force with an exhausted, "Gah!" Her eyelids flying open as her remaining nostril began sprouting the same feeling of blood.

The dreadnought had indeed rotated completely around, the fuel cells she had released successfully emptied so that brown blobs of valuable jet fuel floated in space, breaking apart into smaller and smaller spheres. Then, the dreadnought began sinking, succumbing to gravity, what remaining thrusters sputtering on to best slow their descent.

Rey jolted, the sound of Finn's victory whoops searing her ears. "You did it Rey! That's right! That's how it's done!"

She panted, taking a less dirty grease cloth from her side and wiped her face with it, looking at the blood. It was a significant bleed, much like the ones she used to get on Jakku from the heat as a teenager. She snorted, stuffing the cloth into a safe niche inside her flight suit.

"Right," She declared, "Blue Five prepared to make a descent onto Takodana. I'll see you all at Maz's. No excuses, Finn."

"First round's on me, Rey!" Finn beamed, his eyes moving from the hologram to Connix. "You joining us, Kaydel?"

"I'm getting a transmission from the Republic," She told him over her shoulder. "I'll need to speak to Poe as soon as we make landfall."

"Yeah, no problem." Finn told her. He moved from his position to the panel of pilots and crewmen holding the ship steady in space. "All units, let's put her down for a much earned breather."

Rey removed her helmet and sighed, leaning back into the seat rest of her ship. She had to land in the forest in the outskirts of Kanateemo, the result of an unfortunate hit during the battle and reentry into the atmosphere. She pushed the status button, one area of her bottom right wing highlighting red.

"Good day's repair," She breathed. She pulled off her gloves and tossed them onto the dashboard, then grabbed her ready-go bag from her leg compartment. A large _clang!_ resounded in the cockpit drawing her eyes downward. Her lightsaber had fallen out of it's pocket. She bent down and grabbed it, rubbing her thumb over where she had welded it back together and sighed. Slowly, she leaned back up, wondering if she could just get hold of a complete kyber crystal-

"Show me your hands!"

Rey jolted, turning to her left with wide eyes. Outside her jet were four, stark white Storm Troopers, blasters pointed at her. The one closest to her barked once more, "Show me, your hands! Now!"

Rey let her lightsaber roll between her legs, and lifted her hands to jaw level, her breathing evening out as the Storm Troopers moved to surround her completely.

"Open the top!" The commander ordered, motioning upward with his blaster. "Don't try any tricks, girl."

Slowly, she lowered her left hand, pushing the release button on the glass covering. From a distance, she saw another Storm Trooper approach with delicate caution, a black suited officer shivering behind him. Rey turned her attention back to the Trooper in front of her, hearing chatter from the tail end of her jet.

The main Trooper twitched his head for a moment, his blaster too close for Rey to try surprising him. He turned back to her. "This ship is damaged, where are the others?"

Rey jutted her chin to where she last saw Maz Kanata's watering hole.

"Come out of the jet," The Trooper ordered, taking a step back. "Slowly!"

Rey unclasped her seatbelt and stood slowly, opening her legs so that her lightsaber fell onto the seat without a sound. Carefully, she jumped down, landing before the Trooper and two others, and raised her hands.

The Main Trooper stepped toward her, "Take us to the other ships and we'll spare your life."

Rey latched on to the Force, "Why would I do that when I could just fight you all right here?"

She spread out her palm and from the corner of her eye, saw a shimmer of silver before feeling her lightsaber jump into her hands. Blue light split the green surroundings, but it was all but peaceful. A pain seared into Rey's palm, but she had no time to mope over it. She latched onto the Force like she used to latch onto her staff and commanded it keep her hand safe even as she slew the Main Trooper across the body and whirled around to take out the two behind her.

The other three Storm Troopers bolted from their positions around the side of the jet and aimed their blasters at her. The lightsaber hissed and sputtered, but Rey paid it no heed. She swung the lightsaber and deflected the blasts, biting her lip to ignore the pain in her hand. Two Storm Troopers fell, black holes piercing their armor. The third ran around the side of the jet, sending Rey running after him.

The Trooper skidded to a halt, turning and firing back at Rey. She ducked, the blast hitting a tree and shaking the birds from their nests in the canopy. Blood rushed in her ears and Rey doubled her speed, catching up to the Trooper and tackling him to the forest floor. The Trooper scrambled away from her, jumping to his feet at the first opportunity, but Rey was right there with him, rising to a fighting stance, back hunched, and raising her ignited lightsaber to clasp it with both hands. From the corner of her eye, she could see that her fingers were seeping blood, but she didn't have time worry about it now.

The Trooper lifted his chin, "You're the girl the Supreme Leader is looking for."

Rey's heart stammered and her hand pulsed with discomfort. He was looking for her?

"I shall bring your body to him!" The Trooper declared, cocking his blaster.

He fired, but Rey dodged it. She ran forward, catching the staggering Storm Trooper with her lightsaber by slicing off his shooting arm, then caught his head and neck with a second swing. She exhaled, dousing her lightsaber and letting the Force go, her hand informing her that that was not the best idea.

Rey looked to her palm, seeing a gash across the width of her hand starting from the gap between her forefinger and thumb to her wrist, the nerves screaming.

 _BANG!_

She flinched back into fighting stance, only to see the last Storm Trooper, the bodyguard, fall onto his face. Rey straightened, looking for the shooter.

"Sun!" A voice called from the distance.

Immediately, Rey relaxed, "Moon!"

From behind a thick tree, Poe Dameron popped his head out and grinned. "Hey Rey!"

Rey grinned, and trotted over to him. "You landed out here?"

"Yeah," he admitted sheepishly. "Mine is busted, how's yours?"

They heard a _crash!_ Followed by the sound of air blowing rapidly. Poe turned full around, his orange flightsuit bright against the brown and green, and both he and Rey saw her X-Wing sputter and shoot off towards the stratosphere, a line of black smoke wafting from it.

"Apparently good enough to fly," Rey sighed.

"Yep," Poe agreed, turning back to her. "Funny how they only work when the First Order gets behind them and blow up when we're in a hurry?"

She gave a short laugh, "Funny."

"Welp," Poe breathed, "Should only be an hour's walk from here, right?" He moved to her side and Rey turned to join him.

"Granted we don't run into any more Storm Troopers." Rey told him, reaching into her flight suit for her bloody rag, "They can certainly make ten minutes feel like ten years."

Hux stared out the bay windows of the _Finalizer_ , his posture stiff and his gloves fiddling with each other behind his back. Slowly, an officer approached him. "Excuse me, sir? We've a report from the _Vulture_."

Hux turned, his eyes doing their best to stare down the tall, gangly officer. "Yes?"

"Sir, it appears that it landed… upside down, on Takodana. Crew and hard drive intact."

Hux's face screwed with frustration, "Tell me, captain, how can a dreadnought land upside down?"

"I-I am not certain, General, but we asked the responding crew to confirm three times if we heard correctly and they emphatically stressed that they turned mid-entry into the planet, not of their own volition and then permitted to land in this manner."

"Why did they not blow the ship?" Hux demanded, his face reddening.

"That question was also asked, and the response given was that their fuel cells had been punctured so significantly that they had to manually open all doors to move to other parts of the ship for there was nothing left for even the smallest functions, sir."

"This is ridiculous, captain! How can any vessel be drained of it's fuel without any of it catching fire or turning on it's own?"

The Captain opened his mouth to say more, but his lips smacked shut. From behind him, a black clad figure glided over the Commander's Bridge, half of it's face illuminated by the lights of the command center over a black and silver mask.

"He's right behind me, isn't he?" The Captain shuddered.

"I'll deal with this," Hux told him stiffly, looking from one to the other. "Make sure to get a manifesto of the _Vulture's_ haul."

"Sir," The Captain responded, clicking his heels together before turning on his heel, lifting a foot to head towards the figure in black, replaced his foot, turned to his right, and took the longer catwalk away from the two men.

Hux exhaled from out his nostrils before turning his full attention to the figure in black. "Can I help you?" He asked, though his tone was more of a, "What do you want, now?"

The black figure lifted his right hand and crooked two fingers at the general before turning around and began walking out.

Hux rolled his eyes, "Oh, for heaven's sake, man, will you just say what it is that you want?"

The figure whirled, arm outstretched. A vice gripped Hux's neck, like a choke collar on a dog, and dragged him by the esophagus towards the figure, halting only inches from his gloves, his perfect boots scuffing the immaculate ground. The general's eyes widened, and his throat begged for air, but looking into the glassy eyes of the masked man, it seemed unlikely that life could be easily plead for.

Then, in a quiet monotone, the figure spoke: "He wants, to talk."

He flexed his fingers, and the sorcerous hold on Hux vanished, permitting him to crumple to the black floor. He sputtered, coughing and inhaling as sharply as his lungs would take precious oxygen, his gloved hands massaging his neck. Carefully, he crawled to all fours, seeing the cloak of his adversary swish in front of him as he left the bridge. Hux reared up to sit on his haunches, forcing himself to maintain composed breathing and looked, seeing all eyes of his staff poised on him. He inhaled once, and half the eyes returned to their work, the other half lingering for a moment more to see him on his knees. Him, the great General Armitage Hux, brought to his knees by yet another sorcerer set above him by the Supreme Leader.

Hux set his jaw and stood, then strode out of the bridge towards the only turbolift the Storm Troopers and other officers were avoiding. Standing shoulder to shoulder with the black clad figure, Hux fumed, waiting for the doors to close. As soon as the black doors had slid shut, Hux's mouth opened.

"I would greatly appreciate it if you did not make me appear a fool before my officers, Koita."

In the silence, the breathing of the creature beside him could be heard.

"Noted."

Hux closed his eyes, and practiced his breathing.

Former Supreme Leader Snoke had created a ship to serve as a mobile capitol, a massive dwelling that could travel for years without making planetfall. The _Supremacy_ had, according to the schematics, agricultural areas, training centers for Storm Troopers, a complete hospital, a full armory, and thousands of crewmen and their quarters. The first official act of Snoke's successor, was to land the _Supremacy_ on Mesomi, the centermost system in the Central Systems and declared the planet and it's surrounding five systems as the First Order's capitol, with the _Supremacy_ serving as the official headquarters. That being said, all dreadnoughts were therefore required to prepare a throne room and emperor's quarters for whenever the Supreme Leader desired to come aboard and stay awhile.

The black and white turbolift slowed to a halt and opened to a glossy, black floored room bearing scarlet and silver banners embossed with the standards of the regime and the Knights of Ren. The former inhabitant of the black throne had preferred red undertone lights and eight matching guards constantly watching and waiting for action. This occupier of that sacred throne had only one guard, another black clad and masked figure, and scarlet with silver undertones illuminating the vast room.

Hux eyed the other knight, knowing that they changed frequently. Their masks were the indicators of change, and every so often -about every three months- a new style of mask would stand off to the Supreme Leader's flank. Except for Koita. Hux could swear that Koita remained only to annoy him and served no other function except to possibly frighten the new Storm Troopers.

The moment the turbolift doors opened, Kylo Ren opened his eyes and shifted on the throne, his silver robes trimmed with black rustling slightly. The two men moved forward, Hux proceeding further than his silent companion who knelt before Kylo in perfect reverence.

As Hux moved, his feelings were perfectly hidden from his face, but not to the Force. Kylo could feel them as though the pristine general had smeared them with mud on the floor: disgust, and anger. Those two emotions had been rather strong as of late, often giving the general a false sense of liberty with his words.

The general halted in his accustomed five feet from the dais, clicking his heels together and giving a short bow at the waist. "Supreme Leader, I-"

"What happened with the _Vulture_?" Kylo asked, despite having already guessed.

Hux straightened, fear beginning to ooze over his anger. "Sir, it appears that the _Vulture_ was… they are saying that it turned, mid-descent, landing turbines downward and sparing the crew… and the hard drive."

Kylo leaned forward. "A dreadnought, landed upside down?"

"The crew claims that it turned not of their own volition, sir." Hux shifted his weight, anxiety creeping into his face for the first time, "Given what I have seen and felt personally with you, sir, as well as your… companion, I have no choice to believe it."

"I don't care what you believe!" Kylo shouted, gripping the armrests of his throne as Hux flinched. "What is to be done about the plans for the central systems? Can we assume the Rebels will have them as well as other data the _Vulture_ was entrusted to carry?"

Hux widened his eyes and set his jaw. "Yes, sir. We should proceed under the assumption that your plans for the next ten years have been compromised…"

Kylo jumped to his feet, wrenching his lightsaber from his belt and igniting it, glowering at the man who shriveled before him as his blade spat and hissed, the echo intensifying the moment even more.

"But-but there is one positive note to all of this, sir!" Hux cried, stepping slowly backwards as sweat began to pour down his temples.

"There had better be!" Kylo Ren bellowed, his boots echoing off the dais steps.

"The plans were encoded, sir!" His back touching Koita's chest as the apprentice had glided to his feet the moment his master had jumped to his. Hux continued, "We have the only encryption system, sir! It was made especially for the First Order, no other copy exists. It is likely that the Rebels will see this data, not know what it is, then discard or delete it."

Kylo paused his advance, his chest heaving, brewing disdain for the pale man in front of him. He had wanted to dispose of him the moment he was crowned Supreme Leader, but the pathetic pile of flesh had it's uses.

Kylo inhaled, "You're resting the future of this entire empire on the hope that a handful of rebels that are capable of turning entire dreadnoughts upside down midflight, won't read our plans?"

"I'm suggesting, sir, that if they take the time to attempt to decode the plans, it will cost them valuable time. Time that we could use to reclaim or destroy them and keep our plans secret."

Kylo stopped, eyes flicking to Koita before glowering back at Hux. "How sure are you that you and your troops can get the plans back?"

"Quite certain, sir."

His lightsaber doused with a _shink!_ "See to it that the plans are reclaimed or destroyed. If they are not, then you will answer for it with your life!"

"Yes, sir!" General Hux piped, moving awkwardly around Koita.

His footsteps echoed out of the throne room, the sounds of his finger furiously jabbing the turbolift button until it answered him resounding louder than his fear. Once they were finally left in the silence, the two remaining men looked at each other.

"They're cute when they nearly wet themselves."

Kylo snorted and returned to his throne. "Hux is an idiot, but he is a good general." He hesitated before the throne, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Remove your mask, Koita."

There was a small hiss behind him, followed by silence. Kylo climbed the dais and assumed his seat upon his throne, looking down the path that lead up to it to stare at Koita's naked face. He had always been considered handsome by the girls of the New Jedi Academy and nearby villages. Kylo had always wondered why, though. The man had high cheekbones, a pointed nose, blue eyes, and blond hair that had the bad habit of curling if not kept trimmed. There were exactly two boys who decided to make fun of Koita for it. After Koita held them by the Force upside down until urine dribbled onto their faces, no one bothered him again. Only Kylo. But he couldn't beat Kylo on a sick day let alone in his prime.

Koita tilted his head, blue eyes scrutinizing Kylo's appearance. "What?" Kylo demanded, raising his eyebrow.

"When was the last time you slept?" Koita asked, "And I mean sleep, not doze for segments at a time upon the throne?"

The moment he said it, Kylo's eyelids grew heavy. "Not since the nightmare."

"Which one?" Koita asked, stepping forward. "The bad one or…" His voice dropped, "The worse one?"

Kylo leaned his head against the back of the throne, his mind flashing to the image of Rey, lovely and soaking wet kissing his face over and over again, the two of them embracing in a pool of water. He blinked, forcing the image to leave him. "The bad one."

"Brother," Koita's soft voice startled Kylo, it was nice to hear. "You cannot permit yourself to be weakened out of fear of dreams. You, we, are stronger than such pettiness."

What ember of warmth Kylo had felt was instantly snuffed out. But, he knew that his fellow knight was correct. He exhaled and stood, "I shall retire for a few hours."

The moment he announced it, the knight at his flank, Faroh, stepped forward, waiting like a dog for his master's next move.

"I will keep watch over all that transpires here." Koita told him, his chin lifting with the joy of being correct.

"Koita Mathe," Kylo warned, descending the dais slowly, "There is no one else on this ship that I trust to be my eyes than you."

Koita Mathe Ren bowed deeply at the waist, "I understand, sir."

"Wake me if developments arise. Or for anything you think needs my immediate attention." He looked over his shoulder at the silent knight then back to Koita Mathe, "And by wake me, I mean tell him." He jerked his head to Faroh.

Koita Mathe straightened to look at him, "Very good, sir."

Kylo cleared the dais, sending Koita Mathe into a bow once more, a deeper bow that remained until Kylo's silver cloak rustled off to the private antechamber off to the side of the throne room, his guard two steps behind him.

Koita Mathe straightened, his eyes looking around the room in its absolute silence. It was eerie with no noise to occupy the room, it was something he had come to enjoy on the ceaseless voyage of the _Finalizer._ He kicked his leg forward, the Force slapping his body like freefalling into water. The First Order moved like a machine, with every body and droid moving to a particular order, only under stress. General Hux hadn't allowed for a shift change, and the Storm Troopers were already weary. He stepped forward again, finding Kylo a beacon of darkness within the Force. He was conflicted again, he had been since he invited the Knights of Ren to serve as his personal guard. Worry and sorrow were etched onto his feelings so much that sometimes Koita Mathe would look upon him and wonder how they were not tattoos on his body. He hesitated, waiting for the traditional relief Kylo felt when he stretched out on his bed, his body too exhausted to continue worrying and mourning for long. The feelings decreased their volume, but remained. Kylo was going to have another "nightmare," Koita Mathe could already tell.

Slowly, he walked up the dais, running one hand over the harsh delicacy that was the throne of the Supreme Leader, the other dancing about in the air, fingers twitching and smoothing the indelible Force that surrounded such a sacred space. He closed his eyes, his free hand shooting out straighter, pulsing minutely as he moved around the throne, his footsteps like a cat's in fearless teeter on the edges of the dais.

"Show me," He breathed, his lips unmoving as he spoke to the Force. "Show me…"

Suddenly, he froze, both hands stock still, one in the air and the other pressed against the back of the throne. It was like a pin pushed against his thumb; small, but powerful. A danger.

Koita Mathe jumped off the dais, a noiseless _tap_ not loud enough to deserve an echo serving as the only sound. He crouched on his knees, turning to look underneath the seemingly solid throne. It had been solid when Supreme Leader Snoke had reigned, he remembered moving the throne when Kylo assumed power… so why was there suddenly a gap large enough for a small hand? Better still, why had no one seen it until now? He leaned back on his haunches and looked up. Snoke had preferred crimson lights and banners, all that best reflected off the glossy floors. Kylo had put up black and silver banners for the Knights of Ren along with the crimson ones… a black banner easily hid the hole, and Kylo's guard wouldn't be looking down here while on duty.

He swept his palm upward, the throne levitating above his head in a clean rise in response to the Force. Koita Mathe frowned, moving his hand to feel under it. It was a rough cometstone, built from the rubble of Couresant and polished so that the sitter wouldn't have to worry about their clothes catching in the unrefined grooves. But, the bottom was hollow, something he could expect for easy movement should the need arise, Kylo had moved the First Order's capitol from the moble _Supremacy_ to the more stable planetary fortress that was the Central Systems. Kylo was always prepared as a Supreme Leader for a show of force, and if a throne required it, a hollowed out seat would do the trick. Koita Mathe's fingers grazed something round, something moveable. He fastened his fingers around it, his face screwing further. Gently, he pulled on it, feeling it come free and withdrew his hand.

Nestled between his black gloved forefinger and thumb was a discreet recording beacon, the size suggesting that it had been placed there for it's sensitivity and ability to last for several months without needing to be recharged. Koita Mathe breathed slowly, turning the recording beacon in his hand. It was a neat little trinket; expertly crafted, expensively produced. Suddenly, he twitched his eyebrow and the little silver device shriveled in his hand with a muted crushing sound. Then, he lifted his hand, and lowered the throne.

Koita Mathe moved, face uncovered, down the corridors of the ship, Storm Troopers and officers saluting him as he passed. He ignored them, his look narrowed as though any unfortunate soul who happened to cross paths with him would be killed with a mere look. He marched down a particular corridor, two female pilots scampering away.

A door opened, revealing a team of six Storm Troopers in lighter, white armor preparing cleaning carts with various supplies. Their laughter under their helmets was mechanical, but it muted the moment Koita Mathe entered and whirled on the keypad.

"Gentlemen," Koita Mathe began, "You are responsible for cleaning the throne room, yes?"

The Storm Troopers shot to attention, the senior janitor stepping forth, "Yes, sir."

Koita Mathe turned to them, ripping from his side a lightsaber that glowed blood red the moment the door slid shut. Then locked.

An officer rushed to Hux as he glowered at his desk, roughly thrusting aside hologram reports as they hovered before his nose. "Sir," She told him, "I have news regarding Project Remnant."

The general's eyes flicked to her, his body growing rigid. In a solid motion, Hux rose from his seat and moved to the bay windows away from his staff, then inclined his ear ever so slightly towards her. "Tell me Captain Frees," He breathed.

"Sir, it appears the apprentice found our recording beacon." She whispered to him.

"Does he suspect anything?"

"I do not believe so, sir." She told him, shifting her weight as a lieutenant walked by with a stack of plastic files. "He murdered the cleaning staff almost as soon as he found it. Perhaps he thinks that fear alone will protect his master?"

From a flickering room in the recesses of the ship, surrounded by Storm Troopers bathed in red and dusted with black burns, their cleaning supplies strewn across the floor and a light dangling by a single wire, Koita Mathe crouched, his head twitching. Through the Force, he turned the head of a black astromech and listened, watching Hux turn to Captain Frees and warn:

"Don't underestimate the Knights of Ren. They only appear to be ignorant oafs, but they are as intelligent as they are deadly. Initiate White Star protocol, no is to move until I deem it safe."

Captain Frees crossed her chest with her fist, "Yes, sir."

Koita Mathe blinked, severing his connection to the Force and the astromech. He looked down at the pool of blood before him as it spread to him. He reached out and swished his fingers in the stuff, smelling it as it wafted with the vents pumping oxygen overhead. He lifted his wet hand, and dragged his fingers over his face, from hairline to jaw, feeling his face tickle and tighten all at once.

Then he stood, and lifted his hand again, the blood around him suddenly shooting away in small waves, and he left the room, leaving the pools to reclaim their territory in his wake.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Rey inhaled slowly, held it for approximately seven seconds, then blew it out, relieved that it did absolutely nothing to ease the searing pain in her hand. Finn would owe her when he landed, for saying it was the "alternative to bacta fluid." She opened and closed her fist, finding some relief in the twinging and sighed. This wasn't going to go away without some sort of explanation.

"Scars of war?" A scratchy voice rasped in her ear.

Rey jumped, thrusting her hand to her side as she turned to face Maz Kanata, eye to beady eye. "Didn't see you there," Rey told her, shuffling away to allow the tiny woman to sit down on the supply crate next to her.

"Of course not," Maz told her, walking about the crate until she faced her completely. "You wouldn't have shown that wound if you had thought you would be seen." She pointed an orange finger to Rey's badly hidden limb. "May I?"

Reluctant, Rey inhaled before offering her hand to the wizened alien. Maz cupped Rey's hand in hers, pulling down her bulbous spectacles to examine the injury. Suddenly, she looked up at Rey. "What happened?"

"The exhaust from my lightsaber," Rey muttered. "It's too unstable, it escapes from a crack that no matter how much I try, I cannot fix it."

Maz frowned, "How has your hand not fallen off from such a method?"

"I use the Force." She told her, "I bend the laser away from my skin so really what is doing the damage is the heat."

"My child," Maz told her, taking a seat, "That lightsaber is damaged beyond repair. You need another one."

Rey recoiled her hand. "There aren't anymore."

"Luke Skywalker, he didn't-"

"Luke didn't teach me anything!" Rey spat, "He showed me how the Force worked long enough to realize that I had the same raw strength as Ben Solo and that was it! Nothing more." She exhaled, shame settling over her shoulders for losing her temper. "I'm sorry, but there is one other lightsaber in existence." She withdrew her lightsaber from her side, showing Maz the welded band around it that held the thing together. "Where did you get it, anyway?"

Maz looked from the silver to Rey. "Ben left it behind."

Rey leaned away, "Ben… came here?"

She nodded slowly, her small frame wilting with a memory too vivid to forget. "He came here with the Knights of Ren shortly after he destroyed the New Jedi Temple. Although I didn't know it at the time. He walked up those steps, and I knew something terrible had happened. To come to me rather than his own family…" She shivered, her eyes moving to Rey's knees. "I was so uncertain of what to do; he was so shaken and so guarded by those black goons of his." Her look hardened, and she continued, "They moved like a pack of wolves, no one was left alone for long before the rest of the pack joined him. I couldn't talk to Ben alone for very long. I had known him since he was a boy, but the person who moved with these boys… I couldn't recognize him." She trailed off, her look tightening Rey's chest the longer she watched her. "I finally called Han and Leia, but that night they had all left and killed a pilot for his ship. In Ben's room, the only thing left of that sweet little boy I knew was that lightsaber." She pointed to it, making the sight of the melted silver a bit sadder in Rey's mind.

"It really was Ben's," Rey breathed.

"Yes, a gift from his uncle to remind him of the legacy of Jedi that came before him." Maz huffed, rubbing a hand beneath her spectacles. "Kyber crystals."

"What?" Rey asked, the words familiar.

"Kyber crystals are what power the lightsaber. You must have seen it when you picked up the pieces?"

Rey nodded. "I did, I used vortha cement to bind them together."

Maz shot her a look that made Rey shrink away with embarrassment. "My child, with a lightsaber, you will have to use vortha cement every ten seconds to keep it on, let alone working."

"Mine, sputters."

Maz's eyes doubled, "That means the crystals are ready to explode."

"Oh," Rey replied, looking down at her lightsaber like it was a grenade.

A blast of air rustled Rey's hair, calling hers and Maz's attention. A smile smacked Rey's face and she jumped to her feet, her twinging hand forgotten and the makeshift lightsaber thoughtlessly attached to her belt once more. She jogged against the breeze, the bright colors of BB-8 catching her eye as he and Poe emerged from the line of captured Storm Troopers on her left.

"Ready to go home?" Poe grinned, merely striding next to her.

"Always!" She laughed, seeing the landing cruiser of the _Protestor_ 's crew descend straight down in a whoosh of warm air.

The beige ship landed, and the safe bay doors slid open, revealing Captain Finn and Sergeant Major Rose jittering with the anticipation of seeing their friends once again. The moment Finn bounded off the ship, Rey was shooting her arms around his neck. "You did it!" He cheered, holding her just as tightly.

"It was the Force!" She told him, leaning away to look at him.

"Nah-uh," Finn contradicted, "There's only one person in this galaxy that could have had the guts to do that." Holding her waist, he turned back to the Rebels that began making their way out of the cruiser, "Let's hear it for Captain Rey!"

The Rebels let out a deafening cry of praise that it gathered the attention of the other pilots who cried out in the same returning glee whether or not they were aware of why they were cheering. Rey stood amongst it all, grinning until her face hurt at the praise lauded upon her. When they were finished she was certain that her face was apple red, and hid it in Finn's shoulder though her smile could have powered cities.

"Come on," Finn joked, lifting his shoulder until she faced him. "You deserve to be loved by the universe."

She studied him, admiring how his eyes glittered like shifting sands only when he looked at her. His look warmed her, and jolted her heart unlike anything she had felt before. But, there was a hesitation that always settled when she realized these things, like second guessing jumping into a pool of water. This pause always started in her knees, then moved to her feet that always planted themselves, and pulled her body away from him until the glitter faded and he rearranged his features with a small, expectant confusion.

"Um," He began, looking away, "Lieutenant Connix said that the brass of the First Order was really upset that this dreadnought was lost."

Rey nodded, turning towards the half triangle hiding a great portion of the horizon half a mile away. "I wondered why they would sink a ship like this with almost a complete crew."

"Captain Rey," A brassy, eloquent voice called. They turned and saw the shiny golden body of C-3PO hurriedly waddle to them. "Captain, I must say it is quite unorthodox to call you by your rank and given name."

"You know Finn and I don't have last names, Threepio." Rey chided him.

"Nevertheless, I find it quite unsettling."

"What is it, Threepio?" Finn asked, shifting his weight.

"Ah, yes, Commander Dameron has received distressing news. He would like the entire fleet excluding those guarding the prisoners, to come at once to the drinking establishment of Maz Kanata."

Finn and Rey looked to each other, ice settling into the pits of their stomachs. "I'll tell the east pilots." Rey told him.

"I'll tell the rebel officers." Finn replied.

"Oh splendid," C-3PO twitched. "I shall gather the droids together and see what we might uncover whilst you and the rest are away."

Rey stood shoulder to shoulder with Finn, Rose squeezing through the throng of Rebels to stand next to her. "What's going on?" Rey asked her.

Rose lifted her shoulders, "I don't know, everything appeared fine when we left the ship."

"Do you feel anything in the Force?" Rose asked, her eyes alighting as they usually did when anything Jedi related happened around Rey.

Rey let her eyes drift, her body stilling as the murmur of voices overlapped around her. Anxiety among the Rebels, yes. She closed her eyes, feeling the rock as it hummed with feet standing upon it and ants as they crawled with annoyance to evade those feet. Rey searched among the crowd, looking for Kaydel Connix and even Poe.

"It's not good," She whispered, knowing Rose could hear her. "There's fear… and oh!" She gasped, shifting her weight and opening her eyes.

"What?" Rose urged, Finn now looking at them with curiosity.

"Sorrow," Rey told them. "A great sorrow."

The babble of small talk began to fade and they turned, seeing Poe rub Connix's arm and whisper to her gently. Poe, removed of his flight suit and wearing only a simple set of trousers, shirt, and clean brown jacket, jumped onto a flat rock that served as the secondary, courtyard bar whilst the indoor one went through repairs after what Maz described was a "very amusing game of cards." The babble of nervous chatter ceased, all eyes turned towards their commander.

Rey gasped, watching tears glide down Connix's face, her shoulders almost entities unto themselves as they shook.

"I, ugh, I don't know how to say this." Poe began, fiddling with his hands. "This information was told to me as soon as the _Protestor's_ crew was reunited, and our mission of bringing down the dreadnought _Vulture_ was completed." He gestured to the ship that looked awash with a painter's discarded purple, orange, and even yellow. A few of the pilots whooped at the sight of it, but Poe's distraught face did not permit for the joviality to catch fire.

He continued, "There were a number of brave pilots lost in that last battle, and a number of standouts here today who, you all know about." He gestured his gaze at Rey, but there was no joyous clamor this time. Poe inhaled and exhaled, dropping his shoulders and spreading his hands in defeat. "I'm just going to say it. General Leia Organa, our general, known to a handful as…" His voice broke, "Princess… is dead."

A shocked gasp echoed throughout the crowd. Rey felt her knees jell and she stumbled where she stood, her heart aching so terribly it was as though she was feeling for two.

"Rey, what's happening?" Finn asked, his body turning to her. "Are you alright?"

She pressed a palm to her chest, inhaling deeply. From the recesses of her mind, she saw Ben doing likewise in his bedchamber, eyes wide and sweat dotting his forehead. A massive pale palm sliding over his chest. His fingers, she could almost feel his fingers upon her chest as it heaved; as though distance was only a matter of breathing.

Finn dropped to his knees, his face covering Ben's image. "Rey? Can you hear me?"

"Rey?" Rose cried, tears slipping despite her present worry.

"I felt something like this before," Rey breathed, pulling herself into a semblance of a standing position. "I felt it some time ago…"

Poe continued, watching as his fleet dismayed before him, "The truth that was told to me about an hour ago is this: the general died some time ago. Her last wishes were that we," He spread his arms out in gesture to the hundred or so rebels before him, "Would take down the _Vulture_ and take from it valuable information that the First Order would kill to keep from us. Given the nature of our capture of the dreadnought, I'd say we completed that mission." A faint smile touched his lips. Rey straightened slowly, her heart beating on it's own once more.

"We will return to the Hosnian system where the body of our beloved general has been waiting. She left a will and testament," Poe turned to Lieutenant Connix whose face was awash with tears, and took from her a holopad and tapped on it, "It is available for all to see, though I cannot guarantee those of you that have been named that you'll get anything given the battle of Hoth last spring taking out the general's ship." He hesitated, tapping his fingers slowly on the surface of the holopad. "Another last request of the general's was that she would be buried on Naboo next to her birth mother's grave with…" His eyes met Rey's for a second, "With certain dignitaries present."

A hush fell once more over the uneasy crowd. Naboo was First Order territory, a new acquisition of about a year old, but quickly became the pride of the empire. Kylo Ren's empire. Rey swallowed, Leia wanted her son at her funeral.

"I highly doubt that this last request will be fulfilled given the circumstances." He continued, his voice breaking. "I know we celebrated a great victory today, so let's take time to recognize that, as well as reflect back on the life of…" He mashed his lips and bobbed his head, a sniff of sorrow echoing throughout the fleet. "Of Leia." He finished.

Rey blinked, clumps of moisture sticking to her eyelashes. Slowly, she stepped forward, removing her lightsaber from her belt. She grabbed the Force, remembering with it the love she felt whenever she had a quiet moment with General Organa. She ignited the lightsaber, the pale blue cutting against the grey of Maz's rubble castle and pub.

"For Leia!" Rey cried, tears spilling as she lifted her lightsaber above her head.

Shouts of "Leia!" resounded throughout the space, followed by rebels thrusting a single forefinger in the air.

Tears seeped down Poe's face, his eyes at once meeting Rey's. They were a ragtag bunch, some of them not even knowing where they were born or of whom they came from. But in that moment, they were all one. For Leia, they were one.

Revels were short that night. No one seemed in the spirit to celebrate their immense victory, though many personally came up to Rey and congratulated her. Rey herself did not drink any alcoholic beverage offered to her, feigning some excuse to turn away from it. No one bothered her about it this night, leaving Rey to wander back to her cramped little bunk that she shared with Rose.

She flopped onto her bed, first checking her hand to ensure that it hadn't started bleeding again (it hadn't, but the gauze had small black flakes from where she became too emotional to use the Force), and reached under her bed for her food drawer. Finn and Poe had told her separately that she didn't need to horde food in her quarters, that it would be distributed evenly so long as there was supplies. But, some of the crew knew that she always had bread and semi-fresh fruit and would come begging for a quick bite before their shift or in case supplies were shorter on this system than the last one.

She pulled out a firmer round of bread and bit into it. It was stale, the flavor not the best it might have been three days ago. Rey ate it anyway, gulping water to shove the sticky muck down her throat. She could not get over the feeling of two hearts breaking at the news of General Organa's death, nor of the sight of Ben sitting bolt upright in bed, feeling the same as she did. Most pressing into her mind was the question of whether Ben would even care if he was told that his mother was dead.

Yes, Rey thought. He would care.

But would he, though? A tiny voice in her mind pressed. How can you be certain?

Rey grunted and rolled her eyes, moving to sit upright at the edge of her bed, then closed her eyes. She reached out, feeling the Force as it surged through all that was around her: the control panels on her door, the sorrow in a pilot's body over a lost friend, the bubbles in her canteen, and the ceaseless anxiety stirred by movement in the command center. She inhaled, reaching out with the Force across the galaxy. Families, the First Order, Ach-To, a planet with blooming daffodils. Then, a glowing beacon of the Force, pulsing darkness, anger, and now an intense sorrow.

"Ben?" She whispered.

She pictured him, remembering his face when she came to him voluntarily years ago, seeing him receive her in her little _Millennium Falcon_ escape pod. Back when she was certain that he would answer her call to return to the light. He had looked at her with such calm, such expectancy. He was conflicted then, she felt it like she felt the fabric of her pants beneath her fingers now.

"I have nothing to say to you." His voice growled.

Rey turned to her right, seeing his back to her, shoulders hunched. He must have truly been in his own chambers for he was not wearing his cloak or his top robe but rather a black undershirt and sleeping trousers without his boots and appeared to be… worn, exhausted even.

"You've felt a disturbance in the Force," Rey told him, her voice soft and level. "Today, as well as some months ago."

His head lifted in reply, but he said nothing.

"Ben, I'm sorry to say this, but… your mother is dead."

He turned slowly, his eyes searching her face for the truth. He exhaled, then looked away. Rey leaned away when a new emotion crossed him: relief. He was relieved that the pain he felt wasn't her loss but someone else. Sorrow flooded over him once more and he nodded, "So that was it."

Rey nodded, "They only just told us today."

He swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing as he fiddled with his hands. "H-how? Do you know?"

Rey shook her head, "No, they only told us that she had died."

He nodded, looking full away from her. "And they didn't tell you until now because she was that determined to see me fail, I presume?" He looked back at her.

Rey's chest tightened and she mashed her lips before answering, "If that's how you want to see it."

"Yes, it is."

Rey rolled her eyes and counted to five before continuing. "She wanted to be buried on Naboo-"

"Cremated."

She frowned, "What?"

"Cremated, not buried. My mother always saw being buried as boxed up and silenced. Put away." He smirked, "Anyone foolish enough to box up and silence Leia Organa Solo was soon found to be gravely mistaken."

Rey smiled, remembering a confrontation in the Command Bridge between a Republic senator and General Organa that ended with the senator in tears and the general giving a snort before walking away to discuss battle plans for food. "It's easy to see where you get your stubbornness from, Ben."

His smirk faded and he faced her, "My mother taught me to stand firm in my beliefs, even if I was standing alone. She respected me as Supreme Leader, even if she did not agree with my choice."

Rey nodded. "Will you respect her? Her last wishes?"

"What are they?"

"She wanted to be, cremated, on Naboo, an urn with her ashes placed next to her mother's coffin… and she wanted you there."

He leaned back, eyebrows flying to his hair, "Me?"

"You are her son, Ben. She wanted you there to light the pyre. Here, look," She fumbled with the holopad she smuggled into her bunk, bringing up General Organa's will as she came close to Ben.

Suddenly, she stopped, seeing his outstretched hand to take it. He looked at her, at first in askance, then in realization. He closed his hand and dropped it to his side, prompting Rey to turn the holopad towards him to read.

His frame froze, eyes widening as they moved left to right reading such a profound request. Finally, his eyes flicked to Rey, "What- what are you suggesting?"

Rey shrugged and turned off the pad, "I don't know. A ceasefire?"

His face softened and he gave one final nod, "I can arrange for a ceasefire. In her honor, we could declare Naboo neutral territory, meet commander to commander to pay our respects."

"I'm sure she would appreciate that." Rey told him, the corners of her mouth twitching upward.

It was so calming to be in his presence, so peaceful to speak to him again. He looked down at her, seeming to study her face as she studied him. He had aged in the last two years, she could see it now. He had lines around his eyes along with bags and dark circles, his cheekbones protruded further as though he had not properly eaten. He hadn't been at peace for some time.

A knock echoed throughout Rey's quarters, Rose's voice calling from the other side, tearing Rey from Ben for only a second. Rey flew her head back around, but he had already gone.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Rey was among the first the next morning to report to the downed _Vulture_ for intel analysis. C-3PO, R2-D2, and other astromechs had scanned and interrogated the remaining First Order droids for information the entire night and it was C-3PO's profound joy to waddle to Finn and Rey to give a full report.

"Captains Finn and Rey, so wonderful to see you this early in the morning! I have excellent news to report,"

"I hope so, 3PO," Finn yawned, covering his mouth after a glance at Rey, "We need it."

"Indeed, oh most tragic news! My circuits could hardly bear it. I've known General Organa for so long, and to believe that she will no longer be with us!" He touched a metal hand to his forehead and whimpered, making Rey's heart ache more. "Oh, but, come with me." He gestured with a stiff wave and turned back to the emergency entrance ramp the droids were using to get into and out of the gigantic, drafty dreadnought. Once inside, Rey immediately looked upward, smiling at seeing a completed and modern dreadnought on its side all for the taking. Had she still been a scavenger, she would have had to have fought off at least a dozen other scavengers to get to the valuable parts that could be sold for food. Now she looked at it in awe that the Resistance could use it finally get ahead in the war. One hundred portions, She thought, smiling.

C-3PO led them to a makeshift table that was a cabinet from one of the upper floors that had fallen onto it's side and swept a stiff hand over various holopads and loose leaf papers. "From what you can see here, the _Vulture_ was a humanitarian cruiser, delivering promises the First Order made to other systems for their loyalty. Through this means, we estimate at least two thousand planetary systems have claimed some loyalty to the First Order,"

Finn groaned and C-3PO turned to him, "But don't worry, sir, according to their logs, only about a fifth of these systems have received their promised goods so there is a good chance that they will not honor their agreement."

"Well, that's something," Finn agreed.

Rey reached up to the fluttering loose leaf papers and stroked them. She had never held paper before. "What are these, Threepio?"

"Ah, those…" C-3PO waddled to them, smoothing them out with stiff fingers. "Well, we don't know exactly what these are. We are finding them in various places, almost like a hidden cache. I have given orders to the droids to find and collect as many as are intact as they can gather."

"Can we salvage those supplies, Threepio?" Finn asked, "Several of the Republic systems have been asking for proof of conquest. It could help our allies have a bit more faith in us."

"We are waiting on more assistance in assessing that question, Captain Finn." C-3PO answered. "But we did come up with this," He turned around to where R2-D2 waited patiently, "Could you show them, R2?"

R2-D2 rolled forward, his movement causing Rey to look up and see Kaydel Connix kneeling before a panel of circuits, her usually tight buns drooping on either side of her head. She turned away from her, seeing R2-D2 shoot out a blue beam of light that formed white words almost like a book moving from the floor to the ceiling in slow rotation.

"What's that?" Finn frowned, turning his head as he squinted at it.

"We don't know," C-3PO told him. "It seems to me as though the First Order has used some sort of encryption to hide these files."

"The First Order would sacrifice itself for a handful of encrypted files?" Rey asked, shifting her weight.

Finn straightened his head, "Can you decode them, Threepio?"

C-3PO twitched to the hologram then to R2-D2 who beeped, "You're quite right, Artoo." He twitched back to Finn, "It is quite impossible without the encryption code."

Finn looked at R2-D2, "Not even you, Artoo?"

The droid beeped and moved its domed head from left to right.

Finn turned to Rey. "It will take time," She told him.

"Time we don't have," A voice called from the recesses of the ship. They looked up to see Connix rise, and come towards them, her eyes rimmed in red, "The First Order has made contact with Poe and the rest of command. They are willing to negotiate a ceasefire to allow us to hold a funeral for General Organa."

"Really?" Rey chirped, stepping toward her.

Connix stopped, eyeing Rey's excitement with a raised eyebrow. "Yes…?"

"Sorry," Rey told her quickly, "It's just um, they've… never done this before. Contacted, for peace."

Connix looked at her, her eyes moving over her frame, "Have you made contact with him?"

Rey's eyes widened, "What? How do you mean? What contact?"

"With Kylo Ren?" Connix demanded, "Of us all, you are the one who could possibly connect to Ren."

"Connix," Finn warned.

"Did you?" She demanded, her face tightening. "Did you talk to him?"

"Lieutenant!" Finn barked, forcing her to look to him. "That's enough. There's a ceasefire, let's just hope that the First Order will honor it."

Connix gave one last glare at Rey before turning her heel and moved away from them out of the dreadnought. Rey stood stock still in the silence, her last interaction with Ben a ghost upon her lips.

"Upload these files to the _Protestor,_ " Finn commanded C-3PO, drawing the droid's attention back to him. "See if we can't get Maz or some other encryption genius to decode them."

"Of course, sir." C-3PO answered, turning back to where Rey stood.

But she had already gone, along with the loose leaf papers.

SWSWSW

Rey and Finn worked together tearing through the interior of the _Vulture_ , following the recorded testimony of several of the officers who agreed to release information in return for easier sentences. While Finn spoke with R2-D2, about some of the new data found, Rey climbed, fastened to a real harness beside BB-8 who -unlike Rey- shot out cords that pulled him against the metal panels to highlighted outlets.

"Hey Rey!" Poe's voice called, pulling her from her holopad where she was guiding BB-8. He was suspended from one of the main lines that had been established for descending important files to the droids below. He now climbed up to her, a satchel used for sending down metal files slung over his shoulder.

"Hello, there!" Rey grinned, "Come to aid in the pick and plunder?"

"Not exactly," He sighed, twisting to look at her better, "But, I'll serve as messenger boy, for now." He did look attractive, she had to admit as she removed her own satchel and traded it for an empty one. "Um, we've had contact with the First Order about General Organa's funeral."

"Connix told me," Rey replied, half of her face turning up, "She wasn't exactly pleased about it."

He cocked his head to the right, "Well, I'm not blaming her. But, I'm telling you. We've been allowed to take Leia's body to Naboo along with a small contingent of Rebels to host a funeral and cremation. I'm inviting all our top officers, and I want you front and center."

"All officers?" Rey asked, handing her holopad to BB-8. "Is that wise?"

"They're assigning replacements and all units are to be combat ready the moment something happens."

"That's why you want me there," Rey responded, half smiling.

"Partly," Poe told her. "I want you to take the general's body on the _Millennium Falcon_. Her journey began with that ship, it's fitting that it should end there, too."

Rey froze, her brows rising and her eyes widening. "Me?"

Poe smiled softly, and nodded. "Yeah, you meant a lot to her. She let you know that in her will. You tried more than anyone to reunite her family."

"I didn't see that," She breathed.

"You should. You're going to be leading the pack, Captain Rey. Chewie's flying in to be your first mate." He looked down to Finn and then back to Rey. "Finish up here, then you're excused to prepare."

He began to descend, but Rey called to him, "Wait!" He paused, looking up at her. "Does this make you commander of the Rebellion now?"

He grinned, "Yeah." Then zoomed down.

SWSWSW

Ben washed his face and inhaled, feeling the breath rattle through his chest down to his hips. He opened his eyes through his fingers, seeing his reflection in the mirror, then dropped his hands. He was hungry, but didn't have the will to eat. His body was still tired, the weight he had lost pulled his skin against his muscles.

He turned away from the mirror and opened the closet with his hanging tunics. All were black, save those to the far right which were silver robes trimmed with black. He took the third tunic from the left, knowing that it was completely unworn as opposed to the other two which had at least one wear on them each, and the fourth one had a stain on it that he had forgotten to leave out for the cleaning droids to pick up.

Ben held his silver robe in his hands, feeling the silk beneath his fingers. Of all the garments he had ever worn, he absolutely hated this one. It slid over his shoulders thoughtlessly, the first couple of times he wore it the cuffs shot to his armpits and he had to adjust quickly. But the sight of him in that robe was what the empire yearned to see: a supreme leader. It gave him power over the Knights of Ren, and fear into the Storm Troopers.

But to him, he looked like Snoke. His former master had gone to great lengths to secure golden robes, even taking over an entire cluster of planets for their silk thread to make such a garment. He slid the silk over his shoulders and fastened it with the black obi, then turned to look in the mirror. In his mind, he was his former master; cunning, malicious, and cruel.

"She'll never recognize me," He told his reflection, his voice barely above a whisper.

A knock rang on his chamber door, turning his head. He cocked his head, unlocking the door and allowing it to admit the caller.

"What the hell happened to you?" Ben demanded, leaning away from the sight of Koita Mathe, half of his face painted with blood.

Koita Mathe's blue eyes ran over Ben's frame, his eyebrow rising. "Ditto."

Ben set his jaw and stepped back, bringing Koita Mathe into the room. He held out his hand, showing him the broken recording beacon. Ben frowned, looking at the destroyed device to the man who held it. "Where did you get that?"

"It was situated beneath the throne," Koita Mathe told him, looking from master to the guard who stood half hidden behind the door.

"Who put it there?" Ben demanded, glaring at Koita Mathe.

"Give you one guess," He answered, turning back to him. "I killed the throne room's cleaning staff to make them think I'm that stupid."

Ben glared at him, waiting.

"There's an entire operation in order. They're lying in wait to see what I'll do next, called it Operation White Star." He swallowed, "The coup is closer than we thought."

The guard reached for his lightsaber, wrapping steady fingers around it as he moved to turn his back to the men, looking out for any threats to his master.

"What do you recommend?" Ben asked, his stomach tingling with fear and excitement.

"Haul in Hux for interrogation, bring the brothers in to help. You must be kept safe, Kylo, from your own people."

"We focus on a massive internal investigation we lose focus on regaining the plans for the central systems, our future Empire base."

"Didn't anyone think to make a copy?" Koita Mathe asked, rolling his eyes.

Ben stared at him. "Yes."

Koita Mathe lifted his chin, "Where are they?"

Ben couldn't stop his smile if he had all the strength in the galaxy. He cocked his eyebrow, "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Koita Mathe smiled, then began chuckling under his breath. "Where indeed?"

SWSWSW

It took approximately one week to travel back to the Resistance's flagship the _New Dawn_. The _Millennium Falcon_ had been deemed too risky for independent travel and so had to be concealed within an even bigger freighter supplied by one of Maz Kanata's nearly unlimited resources. On top of that, Poe and the rest of command had declared that the presence of First Order ships had nearly doubled, making the transportation of General Organa's body an even greater risk to the already fragile Rebel Alliance.

But, at long last, Rey sat in the pilot's seat of the massive freighter, the body of General Organa secured in a carbonite sarcophagus, thawing slowly until they could reach Naboo. Beside her Chewbacca moaned, holding his head.

"Han was frozen, too?" Rey asked, frowning at him.

He nodded his head and made whimpering noises. A long time ago, He said.

Rey exhaled, looking out at the Rebels flying next to her. "You think they wanted to be buried together?" She looked back at him.

Chewbacca shook his head, Better this way. Han couldn't see Leia die first.

"You're probably right," She agreed. "I'm sorry, that you have to see this."

He lifted his head off his paw.

"You've seen them since they were very young. You saw Ben…" She trailed off, his name echoing in the distance between herself and the Wookiee.

Chewbacca nodded and placed his hands on his knees. I didn't see much of the brat. Han and I were gone too often. But you're right, I saw them both when they were younglings.

Rey hesitated, "Did you see the fall of the Jedi?"

Yes, He wailed. I knew Master Yoda. Helped him get away.

"You deserve better than this, Chewie." She told him softly.

Chewbacca shrugged, I probably do. But then again, who doesn't?

Rey smirked, then looked away. From behind, Finn entered the cockpit, rubbing his eyes. "Hey," She called, her shoulders dropping at the sight of him.

"Hey," He sniffed, standing tall and lifting his chin. "She ugh, she looks so peaceful."

In one move, Rey got up from her seat and slid her arms around Finn's neck. "She does, doesn't she?"

Finn squeezed her waist and back with his arms, his body shuddering. "I'm going to miss her," He sobbed. "She was… she was more than a general to me."

They heard the soft shuffling of padded feet, then felt the warm fur of the giant Wookiee surround them both, Rey's scalp dampening suddenly.

She was a princess to me, Chewbacca moaned. But then again, I remember my mother.

SWSWSW

Naboo

Midday began to rise over the planet of Naboo when they approached it, Chewbacca opening the great landing bay doors of the freighter to allow the _Millennium Falcon_ it's grand exit. Rey pushed the speaker on her commlink, "You sure you don't want to come with us, Chewie?"

A muffled roar resounded over the speakers, No. I have too much allergies.

"Suit yourself," Rey told him. "See you in thirteen hours."

"Twenty-four hours begins the moment we enter Naboo's atmosphere," Finn breathed, eyeing the green planet streaked with clouds. "We shouldn't see any members of the First Order until then."

Rey inhaled, feeling the breath travel down to her belly button. "Right," She exhaled. "Exactly."

"You think he'll show?"

"What?" She yelped, heart beginning to pound.

"Kylo Ren?" Finn asked, gesturing to Naboo. "Think he'd come to his own mother's funeral?"

"I-I don't know. I can't account for his actions. Why would he? Unless someone told him. No I don't think of Kylo Ren… coming here."

"Rey," Finn breathed, his gentle hand taking hers.

"Mmm…?" Rey looked at him, her face flushed. Could he tell she was lying? Could he tell she had lied to the entire Resistance?

"It's okay," He cooed, rubbing her hand with his thumb. "I get it."

"Do you?" Rey asked, eyes widening and heart skipping beats.

"Yeah," He breathed, smiling. "It's okay. Our family is getting a lot smaller. But that's alright, I'm here for you."

Rey inhaled, her shoulders relaxing and she smiled. "Thank you, Finn."

"Blue Millennium this is Blue Leader, we are ready when you are." Poe's voice was clear and precise, and a perfect relief to Rey.

She dropped Finn's hand and pushed the speaker button, "Blue Leader this is Blue Millennium, we're ready to fly."

"Roger that, Blue Millennium."

She grabbed the controls and lifted the _Millennium Falcon_ off the hangar floor, then eased the ancient ship forth, bathing it in a swathe of sunlight. Rey had flown this ship at least a dozen times before. She knew how to look at the ancient gears and indicators and knew what they all meant. But this time, this flight, she couldn't help but grin, remembering the first time Han had taken the helm and flew them to Takodana, into a brand new life.

"She's here," Finn breathed, calling Rey's attention.

Rey nodded, feeling that warmth and severity that came over her whenever she was in General Organa's presence. "She's here."

They pushed into the atmosphere, orange flames lapping against the windshield, shaking the ship until suddenly all was quiet and Rey's eyes were hit by a mass of green that she never thought possible.

"Wow," She breathed, her eyes widening. She had seen green on Takodana, when Han first took her there. But this, this was a different type of green. It was grassy, and had hills interspersed with forests and their rich green. The buildings were domed wonders topped with brass in delicate weave work. The cities were yellow sandstone, and the glass was either clear or had a blue hue -perhaps from the dozens of waterfalls and fountains- so that the brass finish stood out like treasure. "This is so beautiful," She breathed.

"I never knew cities could look like a work of art," Finn breathed, turning around in his chair as they flew around a great palatial looking building.

Rey's smile hurt her cheeks, "I'm still getting used to them not covered in sand or made of ship parts."

"Blue Millennium this is Blue Leader," Poe's voice rang out, "Natives have given us the outer landing pad. It's a patch of grass, but it'll hold us all. Over."

Finn took the radio, "Roger that, Blue Leader. Blue Millennium pulling around. Over."

Rey gently turned the steering wheel, bringing them back around the city where hundreds of humanoids moved about in their daily lives. "What would it be like to live here?" She asked, looking at Finn. "Fresh vegetables, clean water each day."

"House lit by the sun all day," He added, smiling at her. "Real wind cooling it down each night. That's-that's living down there." He turned to the scenery as it blurred past.

"I would love to have a home of my own," Rey whispered, looking at the city and remembering her hovel in the cockpit of an expired AT-AT on Jakku. To have a room dedicated to a bed, another for a toilet and bathing, one for cooking, and one for simply meeting and entertaining one's friends was still a baffling concept for her. An ache settled into her stomach, a reach that she hadn't yet extended towards called to her. A home.

The grassy plain was outside of the city walls, highlighted by brown leather and maroon dressed guards who waved her down with blue lights. Rey watched as the grass flapped around the _Millennium Falcon_ , seeing dots of yellow and purple wildflowers shiver violently against the landing space ships.

"Alright, then." Finn announced as soon as the ship thudded to a soft landing, "Let's get the general ready."

They moved to the interior of the ship where her sarcophagus lied in wait, the customary bumping and thumping of the landing crews securing the ship resounding around them. Aboard the other ships was wood and oil along with a special urn made of shimmering bronze. Their orders were clear: build the pyre, set General Organa's body on top, burn it, then collect the ashes and get out of this system before the First Order fired upon them. Rey's and Finn's jobs in all of this, was to stay close to the sarcophagus.

The gang plank lowered, exposing them to the smell of bright sunlight, and fresh cut grass so powerful Rey thought she could bare her teeth out and bite it.

"This place is so beautiful," She whispered, too afraid to speak aloud.

She stepped onto the grass, longing to take off her shoes and shoot off like she was a dragonfly over the daffodils and wild lilies. Finn sneezed beside her, then sneezed again, the core of his chest seeming to reject the idea. "Do we, ah," He scrunched his nose and flattened it, moving his lips around to scratch an itch his hands could not reach, "Do we have tissues?"

Rey stifled a laugh, "Yeah, and haring root if you want to chew it."

"Good, good, I'm just going to…AH-CHOO!" His head flew into his hands and stayed there, his eyes moving to Rey in apology before he moved, hunched, back into the ship.

Rey nearly leapt off the gang plank, absorbing the sun and the sound of water falling close by as officers and various engineers unloaded their cargo and began the task of preparing a funerary pyre. She moved away from them, the grass hitting against her shoes like little dusting brushes, and flying insects hovered and bobbed in a great circle away from the ships.

She picked a daffodil, pressing the silk petals to her lips and inhaling. The flower itself was scentless, but the surrounding green made her smile at the flower and tuck it into her belt. If Finn couldn't smell it, then she could probably wear it around him. She frowned, looking down at her black shoes. They were dusty, but it was a fine white powder that covered her toes and the sides.

Perhaps this is a Naboo thing? She thought.

"Having fun?"

Her head shot up, and at once, she saw Ben standing tall in his black attire, a glossy black and white hallway surrounding him. His look was soft for her, his eyes travelling from her eyes to the daffodil in her belt. "Suits you." He looked back at her.

"Naboo is so beautiful," She told him, her smile coming forth for a moment before fading. "Will- will you be coming?"

"Naboo is one of my favorite places." He told her, "I was pleased when it came under the First Order's control."

"You don't see it," She replied, "When I was flying overhead, there weren't many, if any, traces of the First Order."

"I know," Ben smirked, "It was one of their agreements with us. They get to live as though we did not come into their every day lives and yet call us their superiors. I didn't mind. I like it the way it is."

"You didn't answer my question," Rey remarked, looking him over. He had slept, but he was still a far cry from healthy.

Ben walked to her, each step purposeful and slow. "Do you want me to come?"

It wasn't a taunt, it was a test. He was asking if Rey wanted him to come for visitation's sake rather than to mark a somber event as a funeral. She inhaled, "Yes."

"Why? I'll only bring chaos with me."

"Not always."

He stopped, and she internally squealed that her answer caused his confidence to falter. "You're so sure?"

She smirked, "You're the Supreme Leader, aren't you? Chaos happens when you order it, not by your arrival alone."

He chuckled, and looked away. "Not too late to come with me." He turned back to her.

"I'll see you tonight, Ben." Rey smirked, turning her back on him and walking away.

 _Please review!_


	4. Chapter 4

_It was a busy weekend... Here is the next installment though!_

Chapter 4

In the calm night, dozens of Rebels moved in a quiet cluster through the meadows of Naboo, all dressed in their best clothing. Some wore patched jackets and trousers, others wore garments seemingly never worn. Rey wore a midnight blue shirt and matching trousers, a black stripe running down either leg, a sign of her flying prowess given to her by a pilot from Corellia. As a final touch, she wrapped her white scarf around her shoulders and crossed across her stomach, the overhanging ends tucked into her belt along with the wilting daffodil. Finn wore his best clean white shirt and dark trousers, along with his customary brown jacket. Others wore ceremonial dress from their home worlds; gowns and feather jackets, leather, and plain homespun. Regardless of the person, only the best for their fallen general was put forward.

Standing as tall as her emotions would permit, Rey walked through the grass beside the thawed wooden sarcophagus, Poe on the other side, tears sliding down her cheeks. Behind her, Finn followed in procession with Kaydel Connix, C-3PO at the rear. The sarcophagus was elevated above the soft soil, carried by four moving droids of Rose's design that fit perfectly within a ready-go bag along with a remote control. When she could see clearly enough, Rey saw the crowd move with them, some with eyes as wet as her own. As one, they moved towards the pyre that had been assembled, Rose standing next to it, lamenting over her perfect design.

It was a plain, solid wood table, built to hold and burn all at once. Not a single nail had been used to assemble it, Rose had particularly stressed that point. It had been carved according to a rudimentary design of interlocking joints. The pyre assembled relatively quickly, but the mourners took their time carving messages expressing their love and sorrow for General Organa into the soft wood, waiting for night to fall.

Two torches were posted on either side of the table, one at the head and one at the foot, their flames burning tall in the windless night. The Nabooans provided straw and a type of sweet oil that had been poured over the table and the straw, a type of solution that would burn slowly and hotly so that they would not have to worry about running out of fuel before the cremation process could be completed. They had even been kind enough to allow the burn site to be situated a fair distance away from the ships, beside a babbling ravine that provided the perfect mourning music for the ragtag bunch.

Rey gasped when blinked and saw the torches, a feeling of comfort settling over her and seeping into the pit of her stomach. She looked to her right and left, searching amongst the crowd.

This isn't supposed to happen, She chided herself. Fire isn't comfortable, I'm supposed to be mourning!

She forced her face forward towards the pyre, the familiar itch to head off towards the call of an unknown direction tugging at her. It came from beyond the pyre, off to the distant waterfalls beyond the darkened meadow. The looming darkness called out to her, just like it always did. Rey shook her head and slowed with Poe to the designated halting point, Rose quickly wiping her face with her sleeve to perform the next part.

They stopped, but the moving droids did not. They propelled the sarcophagus forward, sliding it onto the pyre where the two droids at the front slid towards the back as soon as the head of the wooden box touched the surface, allowing the two at the back to move around and push until the sarcophagus rested peacefully upon it's destination. There was a pause in the procession, a moment for the crowd to shuffle in it's half moon to stand where they might see the service of a final farewell to General Organa.

Poe stepped forward, striding ceremoniously to the pyre, and grazed his hand over the wooden surface. "You're home, Leia." He breathed.

He faced the crowd, his brown jacket gleaming softly in the torchlight. He inhaled and looked away, eyes glittering with tears. He opened his mouth to speak, and suddenly Rey was far away. Well, not that far; apparently, she was still on Naboo. Children were playing in a darkened tree, its leaves hauntingly silent as they climbed and laughed. The moon beamed over the rooftops and through the branches and long leaves of the garden plants, but it couldn't illuminate the children's active bodies, or most of their faces. Rey turned suddenly, the children had gone completely except for one. A little boy with fluffy dark hair and plump lips waited for her, pointing down an avenue topped by arching bridges and golden gates.

"Rey," Finn's voice hissed, yanking Rey to the present.

Rey stopped, eyes darting to her for a second before realizing that she had moved almost adjacent to Poe, causing him to halt his somber speech to look at her.

The Force called to her again, once more from the dark meadow. She turned and gasped, eyes widening. "Ben!"

Poe whirled around, his eyes equally wide. "Oh no!" He called, his eyes wide as he too saw that tall silhouette of a man dressed entirely in black.

He shot his arm out across Rey's stomach and pushed her back, the Rebels gasping and crying out to the sight of Kylo Ren and two guards standing on either side of him.

"Wait!" Rey cried, moving Poe's arm.

"We have a ceasefire agreement!" Poe shouted, trying to catch Rey as she moved towards the pyre.

Rey ignored him, her eyes focused on Kylo. In the dim light, he reached up to his belt, and removed his silver lightsaber. Her muscles wanted to flinch back, jump into a fighting stance and be ready for anything. But, her feelings were calm, and she watched him lift the silver handle, turn his upper body, and handed it to the guard on his right before stepping forward, alone.

"You're here," Rey called, watching his face illuminate in the orange of the firelight.

"We had a deal," Poe warned, standing next to Rey.

Kylo nodded, "The ceasefire began the moment you entered Naboo airspace, you have time." His eyes flicked to Rey for a second, then returned to Poe, "Besides, she wanted me here."

Rey could feel Poe turn towards her with a face that clearly read, "And how would he of all people know that?"

"Yes," Rey told them both, turning to Poe. "It was Leia's final wish to have her son light the pyre." She looked at Kylo, "There's two torches. And, she wasn't one for opulent words on her behalf."

Kylo smirked, "That's true."

Poe turned looked between the two of them, then nodded at last. "Alright, for Leia's sake."

Rey smiled, then stepped away from the pyre and men, watching as they moved, one set of eyes glued to the man across from him, the other admiring the final resting place of his mother. Kylo lifted a hand, and caressed the head of the sarcophagus.

"Mama," He breathed, staring down at the soft wood.

He returned his hand to his side and turned to Poe, waiting. Carefully, Poe bent at the knees and took the cooler handle of the torch, Kylo following suit. Both men stood suddenly, pulling from the grass flickering orange torches like scalding lilies. In somber movement, they turned the dancing heads towards the straw bundles, and watched with the mourning crowd as the flickering fingers touched the dry yellow, burning it. They moved with their torches, ensuring that all the straw caught flame, then slammed their torches into the ground, stepping back.

It hit Rey the moment she saw the fire close around the sarcophagus. That stern woman who could be both intimidating and mothering within the scope of snapping fingers, was gone. Her kind, rasping voice. Her brown eyes that saw everything and could say so much more than her sometimes harsh words, would never look upon Rey again and glitter in a kind of secret joke shared only between the two of them. Rey shivered, her tears hiccupping to the surface. The only mother she had ever known was gone to a burst of light as bright and as hot as the Jakku sun.

Kylo shifted his weight, his entire body illuminated by the bonfire before him. He stared, almost unblinking at the sight of his mother's sarcophagus engulfed into flame. Rey touched the Force, searching for his feelings. He was powerfully sad, the emotion sinking into her limbs and relaxing her body so much that her tears spilled, rushing towards the grass beneath her. She inhaled, and slid to her knees, the sight of him leaving her as her fingers splayed onto the dark green. She knew, like she knew touch and the smell of burning pine, that Kylo wanted to break down, to lament the passing of his mother. But he stood, stoic and proud, arms held to his sides and fists clenched. And so, she would weep for him.

"You alright?" Finn's voice whispered into Rey's ear. He smelled of salt, and when she turned to him, she saw his face was downcast, and sopping wet.

Rey nodded. "I'll be fine," She sobbed.

For what seemed like an eternity, the crowd stood, crying and lamenting the loss of their beloved Leia. The scent of pine and spices perfumed around them, small signals to the medical team the progress of the burn. Some mourners, tall aliens with bright red skin and bucked teeth, came forth with prayers written onto parchment papers and tossed them onto the pyre. But mostly, the crowd held each other as they cried, rocking from side to side in the windless night. It was only when they were certain that the body had caught fire and was successfully burning that anything worthy of note happened.

Kylo shifted his weight once again, this time towards his guards, reminding the crowd that they had not turned to statues in the wait. The one who had his lightsaber, procured the silver handle from the pitch black and knelt on one knee, offering it to his master with absolute reverence. Kylo moved and took it, casting one look back to Poe who had moved forward once more, leaving his post beside Kaydel Connix to the position of warning. Kylo turned back to him, and jutted his chin at him in acknowledgement.

Poe nodded, taking two steps back. Kylo turned his back to them, and sauntered off, one of his guards walking one step behind him, the other walking backwards, his covered head twitching from left to right as they moved.

Poe looked around at the Rebels as they watched the pyre finish burning. He opened his mouth, the warning words of staying close and keeping vigilant bubbled to his lips, but burst with one sweep of his eyes at the people before him. Of them all, one was definitely missing.

"Where's Rey?"

SWSWSW

Rey walked through the streets of Naboo, admiring how beautiful the sandstone looked in the moonlight spilling over with plants and sleeping flowers in muted colors everywhere she looked. The sounds of her footsteps echoed in the emptiness, almost a dancing beat. Apartments lined the streets, each one dotted with some sort of greenery and vibrant colors: reds, blues, purples, even pinks. She inhaled, the scent of lilac, honeysuckle, and roses filling her with peace. In all her time with the Resistance, she had never seen a more beautiful planet than this one and with each step was beginning to doubt she ever would again.

She turned the corner and saw a garden plot area, one hauntingly similar to the vision she had before the ceremony. She looked left, and saw down a long, walled avenue, a gate left partially open, the moon making it appear silver. Rey walked towards it, her footsteps faltering under the sound of her heartbeat booming in her chest. She pushed the gate open completely, the bolts creaking against her spine as it wailed down the avenue. She took one step and immediately felt the Force sweep over her like a tidal wave, sudden and unwelcome.

The moon brightened to sunlight and she blinked, hearing birds echo around her. Rey walked further into the courtyard, seeing flowers in their flowerbeds sway brightly in vibrant colors of red and yellow. In the center, a tree as tall as she was grew in a circular plot, filled with white flowers. Rey dared to take a step near the tree, wondering if she could take a flower with her to the "other" side when a young General Organa emerged from a corridor with a letter in hand.

Rey gasped, the emotion of sorrow, joy, and love jamming into her throat until she almost choked. Leia looked absolutely beautiful in a gown of blue and white, her thick brown hair draped in braids around her ears and down her back, but her face was pinched with concern, and she rubbed her finger across her lips as she read. She looked up suddenly, the sounds of a laughing child coming from behind Rey and her face completely changed. Rey turned and saw a little boy with black hair and warm brown eyes come running into the courtyard, a toy spaceship in hand.

"Ben," Rey breathed, the aching pressure in her chest stinging her eyes.

Ben ran to his mother, wrapping his arms around her in an awkward hug. Rey grabbed her throat when she realized that Ben's scooping hug was a practiced delicacy given to his pregnant mother.

"Hey kid, take it easy on your mother!"

Rey whirled around, the tightness becoming more unbearable as a young Han Solo followed his son, a smile highlighting his entire face. He swaggered to them, wrapping his arm around Leia's back as she folded the letter with one hand and slid it behind her to be tucked away into her belt. As a family, they looked over Ben's toy spaceship as he held it up to Leia, Han moving his arm around his wife's shoulders, their words lost to Rey's ears. Han shifted his weight the moment Ben turned away, looking back to where Rey stood with a longing that Rey could feel to her toes: the longing to answer some distant call. Then, Han turned and caught Leia's attention and motioned towards the exit. Leia's face changed, she was saddened.

Ben didn't notice, however. All his attention was directed towards the toy in his hands, his smile bright. Han leaned away from his family, taking a step back and shrugging an excuse. Ben looked up, his joy falling as he flinched forward, his precious toy lowering to his side. Leia forced a smile and she knelt before her son, pulling his attention away from Han and back to the half fallen toy. Ben looked over her shoulder to see his father's back turning to him, but turned to his mother at her urging. The little boy swallowed hard and forced a smile for his mother, the light gone from his eyes.

The sun faded and the image changed. Instead of Leia and her little boy, Rey saw Ben Solo a man standing before a taller tree, his back to her. His guards were nowhere to be seen, and he had removed his black cloak so that he stood before her in his purest form; the way she knew him. He turned his head, fully aware that she was watching him.

"This was the last place where we were together as a family," He told her.

"You lived here?" Rey asked, looking around at the surrounding apartments, the realization dawning that this area was a private home rather than an apartment block.

"Yes," Ben answered, lifting his chin to admire the lovely compound. "It was my mother's vacation home, an inheritance from my grandmother, the former Queen Amidala. We used to come here to get away."

Rey came closer, then swallowed. "What happened? After the day you showed me?"

Ben peered up at the tree beside him. "I waited for my father to come home each time he left. Days, weeks, months. Then one day, my mother told me that I didn't have to wait anymore. Han would come to be with me when he felt like it, or when cargo needed to be delivered near where we were. She was angry when she said it."

Rey's feelings were not eased. "What did you do, Ben?"

He turned, facing her. His face was calm, but his feelings were greatly pained. "I heard the midwives say that there was nothing like a baby bringing everyone together. It was true, for a time. But he always went away. My sister didn't do her job, in my sight. I choked her until she turned blue. It was the first time I showed anyone else that I had control of the Force. My mother brought her back, but kept me away from her. Not like my sister would come near me on her own after that, anyways. Shortly afterwards, Uncle Luke showed up to take me away from them. That was when I began to hear Snoke's voice in my dreams. For years, he spoke to me, comforted me. Until I was his unyielding puppet." He looked away. "Now I'm all alone in the galaxy."

"You're not alone, Ben!" Rey argued, stepping closer to him.

"Oh no?" He asked, stepping towards her, "You wouldn't come even though I saw you standing by my side when it mattered."

"You asked me to join the Dark Side with you," Rey reminded him.

"I asked you to come with me! Not the Dark Side!" Ben shouted, his deep voice echoing in the stillness. His chest heaved several pulses, his eyes unrelenting. "I wanted you because I know you felt the same type of loneliness as I do!"

Rey watched him, this man that glowered before her. He wasn't an enemy, he was a man who had had his heart broken too many times before by the people he treasured the most.

She swallowed, "What you ask me to do is impossible, Ben. You're asking me to leave everything and everyone I know and love."

"Forget the past," Ben breathed.

Rey cut him off, "Have you?"

She stepped towards him, so close that she could reach out and caress his face if she wanted to. "If you've forgotten that your father abandoned you, your uncle your hero tried to kill you, and your master manipulated you, how can you still be this angry?"

Ben looked away, a tremor running through him. He was conflicted, they both knew it.

"Come with me, Ben."

He looked up suddenly, eyes searching her face. Rey could feel him manipulating the Force to feel for the truth. She let him, knowing that her offer was genuine.

"We could leave here tonight," She continued. "You and I, alone. No First Order, no Resistance. We could jump into the Falcon and fly-"

"Did you send the dreams?"

Rey leaned away, frowning. "The dreams?"

"The dreams," Ben told her firmly, then looked away, "The ones where we are…"

"Kissing fervently in a pool of water?" Rey finished, raising her eyebrows. His cheeks flushed ever so slightly at the mention of such intimacy. "No. Not in a thousand years. You didn't either?"

"No, not at all." He dared to peek at her as he said it. "I thought it was you."

She suppressed her embarrassed laugh with one thought, "No, because that would mean that I sent the dream where-"

"Where I kill you." Ben concluded, nodding slowly and looking at her. "You couldn't have sent that. It's too vivid. I wake up frightened every time."

"So do I," She confessed, her mind rudely reminding her of that lightsaber battle, their faces screwed with intense hatred, until her face rounded with permanent shock. Rey shook her head, "Who else is out there that can manipulate the Force to bring us together? Snoke brought us together once before, but he's dead." From the recesses of her mind, two words popped up, Isn't he?

"I don't know," Ben replied. "It is bizarre for me, too."

"But, we're always together." Rey pointed out, her voice soft. "Our dreams, and in moments like these." She looked to his lips, plump and sealed hovering over her. "Ben," She whispered, leaning close. He leaned closer, too, his Adam's apple bobbing as he studied her face. His hands flinched forward so that their knuckles brushed against each other.

Suddenly, Ben stepped around her, hitting her with his elbow. "The First Order has given you twenty-four hours peace," He whirled around to her and growled, "We will not be granting you a second more."

Rey watched him march away, her shoulders shaking. She swiped at her eyes before the tears had a chance to fall.

SWSWSW~~

Rey stretched, feeling her arms pop. She longed to go to bed if only for the hope of leaving a bad day behind her, but knew, as she knew all too well as of late, that she ran the risk of an inappropriate dream.

"Rey!" A voice hissed, prompting her to turn. Finn trotted towards her, looking around to his left and his right. "Where were you?" He whispered, taking her arm and guiding her to the shadow of a ship.

Rey inhaled, knowing that she would have to tell someone. "I met with Ben, he wanted to talk."

Finn frowned, "Ben…?" His face alighted with alarm, "B-Kylo Ren? You met with him, alone?"

Rey pulled her arm from his grip. "Yes, he said he would honor the ceasefire and he did!"

"Poe is pissed with you right now!" Finn hissed, looking once more over his shoulder.

"What did I do?" Rey demanded, fear filling her chest.

A voice whispered behind them, "You spoke with the First Order without telling me and then spoke with Supreme Leader Ren."

Finn's jaw clenched as Rey gasped. Together, they turned towards the ship to find Poe Dameron squatting in front of them, looking from one timid face to the other.

"Hey Poe," Finn told him, voice shaking to normal. "I-I was just telling Rey that you were looking for her."

"Well, now you found me." Poe replied, then turned on Rey. "Rey, a word."

Rey looked back to Finn who offered her a shrug of sympathy before stepping away. She sighed as she walked up the ramp to Poe's ship, watching him rise to full height before leading her to the ship's bridge, heels clicking on the dusty floor. He opened the door, poking his head in and looking around before pulling his body in and waiting for Rey to enter so that he could close the door.

Rey inhaled, "Before you begin, let me just explain-"

"Please, do!" Poe exclaimed, shutting the door. "You cut a deal with the First Order and didn't tell me about it! You met with Kylo Ren, here, tonight, and didn't tell anyone about it! Please, tell me something, Rey!"

"Ben and I have a connection," Rey told him.

"It's 'Ben' now?" Poe scoffed moving from his post at the door to sit on a control board.

"We have a connection through the Force," Rey growled, "We don't know why or how to stop it. Obviously, if we could end it, we would. I have tried, and I know he has as well, but the more we try to sever our connection, the stronger it becomes."

Poe lifted his eyebrows, not impressed. "And what do you guys talk about?"

Rey looked to the bay windows, seeing the small figures of the rebels as they huddled together and mourned their great general, their lamps dotted against the black. "We haven't spoken in some time."

"Just to arrange ceasefires and secret rendezvous?"

She turned back to Poe, "He had to be told."

"Oh, he did?"

"He's her son, Poe. He felt the disturbance in the Force when she died, and then when I was informed of her passing. I know because I felt it. He called to me before the ceremony, he just wanted to talk to me in person and so we met."

Poe nodded and set his jaw. "This is what I hate about getting promoted," He breathed. "Rey, you are not authorized to organize anything as big as this. I should have been consulted before I left my best ships alone while my chain of command gathered together in one place. You have something going on with someone, that's your affair, but when it affects the fleet, I need to be made aware of it. Got it?"

Rey frowned, "Wait, the ships were left unguarded?"

"Yes," Poe told her, "Everyone who had a connection with General Organa came to pay final tribute to her-"

"The ships were unguarded!" Rey cried, flying from him to the main control board.

Poe lifted his arms in askance, but followed Rey, watching her switch on the panel to power up the ship. She had not even tapped the light to the fuel tank when the panel washed in blinking red and showed a blueprint of the ship with a blood red fuel tank area.

"We've sustained damage," Rey breathed, eyes widening and frigid dread filling her entire body.

"While we've been parked here," Poe added, eyes growing equally robust. "The fuel tanks!"

Poe bolted, a flash of brown and black as Rey ducked underneath the control panel for a secured flashlight before shooting off herself. She skidded down the ramp nearly slipping on the wet grass as she turned the corner. She turned on the flashlight, a bright bluish white thing that fit perfectly on the palm of her hand.

"Poe?" She called, her feet squelching as she moved around the back of the ship.

"Under here!" His voice called back, the muffled sound coming from under the ship.

Rey dropped to her knees and sent the beam of light at him, dwarfing the small pen light that he kept with him at all times. The grass he laid upon had an odor to it, something akin to fuel, but not the full stomach wrenching stink that Rey could recognize in death as well as in life.

"What's going on?" Finn's voice asked, prompting Rey to look at him.

"This tank's been cut with a laser." Poe determined, shimmying towards Rey and Finn. Rey moved out of his way, but saw with her own experienced eyes that he was coated in jet fuel. "First Order bastards didn't honor the ceasefire."

"Tanks like this could not be emptied so quickly from the time they left the funeral," Rey told them. "And I'm sure you sent people to watch them once you knew they were here. This must have been done as soon as we landed. They were waiting for us."

"The only ones who were here were the Naboo landing crew," Finn reminded them. "And I was in the Falcon, I would have seen or heard anything else."

Poe touched the brown liquid coating his jacket and pants and held his fingers to his nose, sniffing deeply. "I've seen this before, it's a powder. Spread it anywhere, it masks the smell. Sells cheap, we used to buy it when we had a base near here. They must have spread it to mask the smell of the jet fuel."

"The white powder on our shoes," Rey muttered, looking down at her feet. It had been replaced, now. Now it was brown liquid with only the slightest hint of white powder on the very top of her shoes.

"We are deep into First Order territory," Finn warned. Rey looked up, seeing his chest beginning to heave. "We only have twenty four hours to be here before all hell breaks loose again."

"That means we have to get these ships repaired and refueled before then!" Rey panicked, suddenly realizing the depths of her sin.

"Finn, get a message to the rebels in the area," Poe commanded, "Tell them we need to evacuate yesterday; our ships the better. Use whatever methods of communication you can."

Finn nodded, taking off at full speed but slipping face-first onto the spilled fuel. He lifted his hand to his face, seeing his skin a full shade darker even at this distance. He looked back at the ships.

"Oh no." He breathed. One spark, and the ships would burn… and the heat would set off their ammunition.

He scrambled to his feet, careful not to fall again, and made his way towards civilization begging the Force that some sort of communication was available to him.

Rey turned to Poe as he steadied himself onto his feet. "Rey, you, me, and the droids are going to find whatever we can to patch these holes as much as we can. But first, we need to scramble the troops. If we can't fix these ships, we can't let the First Order get the data on where we've been hiding."

Rey nodded, sliding to her feet. If we get caught, She thought, I will never be able to forgive myself if Poe doesn't shoot me first.

 _Thank you to those of you who have reviewed. Your reviews keep me going and keep me on my toes, so needless to say:_

 _PLEASE REVIEW!_


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Kylo sipped his apple juice, watching the servants clear away the breakfast tray. It was a beautiful Naboo morning, with the birds chirping and the cool breeze like an attractive lady's hand upon his cheek. After rising from a decent nap, he commanded his breakfast be laid on the terrace, overlooking the far waterfalls of the countryside. He hadn't wanted to eat, but one look at Koita Mathe and he decided against arguing. He flicked his eyes to the man in question, watching him withdraw a handful of credits and slapped them into the outstretched palm of the Naboo landing team leader. The Leader's face was long, his feelings greatly saddened, but he took his money and moped off, allowing Koita Mathe to join Kylo at the terrace.

"Business is secure." He announced, his muffled voice sending a hint of annoyance down Kylo's spine.

"How much time is left in the ceasefire?" Kylo asked, setting his glass down.

"A little under four hours, sir."

Kylo nodded. "I want you and Faroh to take the north and west access points. I will start things at the south. Drive them into the city to give Naboo the option of remaining loyal or choosing destruction."

From behind him, he heard the quick shuffling of feet belonging to a servant sent to spy on him from the current queen. Word would spread as quickly as he anticipated.

"What are our orders, sir?" Koita Mathe asked, his body standing as rigid and ready as a scythe.

Kylo looked at him, "Kill them all."

"Sir," Koita Mathe answered, stepping back to tell his fellow Knight of Ren, but hesitated. "And… the girl, sir?"

Rey's face flashed into his mind, lovely and weeping. He pushed that image aside in favor of her forest face, the one she had shown him in revenge of killing Han Solo and for striking down her treasonous friend. His finger twitched, his body excited.

"Leave her to me. You're no match for her. I'll take care of her."

SWSWSW

Rey bolted, burst fuel surge in hand, her heart hammering against her chest like it was trying to escape to run a relay to the next parts yard. Of six ships, two were flyable but did not have nearly enough room for the entire landing party. But, the _Millennium Falcon_ could be counted as a third if Rey could find an old enough ship with a similar fuel surge. Whoever damaged their ships had either not known enough about older model freighters, or had felt enough sympathy to want them to leave. Or this was a sick new game Kylo had thought up and he wanted to see them squirm before killing them.

She shook her head and propelled herself onward, seeing a familiar heap of scrap metal and rust upon yellowing grass and overgrowth.

"Excuse me!" She screamed, waving the long brown pipe in hand. "Excuse me!"

A Nabooan, a short man with dark skin, emerged from the hull of a land cruiser and immediately began wiping his hands on a grease cloth. "Can I help you?"

Rey screeched to a halt, her lungs protesting so much against the movement that all she could do was hand him the part before gripping her knees.

The man's eyebrows knitted, eyeing the clean laser cut on the fuel surge. "Need a new one?"

She nodded, hair shuffling over her shoulders to catch her sweat drops.

"I think I've got an old freighter that has one like this. Let me go and check, you sit there and, er… catch your breath."

Rey gave a short wave, nodding. She lifted her head, watching him shuffle off and sighed, knowing that at this little man's pace, she might as well shoot the Rebels herself. She reached out to the Force, begging it to fill her, to smooth over the edges that her lungs ripped open in her desperation to find another junkyard.

Three junkyards, three! And none of them either had or were willing to sell to her the vital fuel surge. As she ran, she knew, could feel, Ben had kept his word to the letter of his word. He didn't attack them or damage their ships, but, that didn't mean others couldn't do so on the First Order's behalf. Its just that those others attacked in impeccable detail. Almost as if they didn't get the idea to do it themselves in the first place. And then were suddenly deathly scared to come out and conduct business or their normal routines that day.

Rey stretched to full height, her feelings brushing off her chest like a dark hand was wiping her clean of sympathy or empathy and replacing it with intolerant spite. Kylo Ren didn't know whom he was dealing with, not in the slightest!

She took one step, then another, the Force calling to her where she could find the junkyard owner. She moved around a row of land cruisers, some with roofs and most without, all overgrown with weeds and vines, and looked up to see the bright green overalls of the short junkyard owner looking up at the base of a freighter with his hands on his hips. Rey trotted to him, her chin tilting upwards at the oil smelling freighter.

"There it is," The owner announced matter-of-factly.

"I'll take it," Rey told him quickly, looking at him.

"Bet you would," He replied, reaching up with the hand that held her broken fuel surge and scratched his chin. "There's only one problem: gettin' it." He looked at her, "My lift broke sometime back. I was going to fix it today, but you came in. Give me until tomorrow… where you goin'? Miss!"

Rey trotted back to the land cruisers, seeing three stacked neatly on top of each other. The top of the last cruiser came to almost flush with the roof of the freighter. With hardly a second thought, Rey was climbing it and leapt onto the rusty freighter, much to the shouts of precaution from the owner.

"I've got this!" Rey shouted down at him, leaping delicately over the fragile surface. She crawled over the side, holding on with fingers long accustomed to gripping tightly questionable edges. "Tell me when I'm nearly there!"

"Just don't fall!"

Rey swung, latching onto what outstretched solid things were available to her. Suddenly, the panel she grabbed broke away, eliciting a scream from both her and the owner.

"Come on down!" He cried, shuffling around her.

"No!" She shouted, swinging back and forth. "People are relying on me! I need this fuel surge!"

The owner looked on in conflicted worry, then inhaled. "On your left, there's a handle. It should hold."

Rey grabbed it, finding a new way to swing about around to the vital part. When she reached it she hung, holding on with both hands to the latest sturdy branch, staring at the fuel surge. It needed to be cut cleanly, evenly. From behind her, she withdrew her lightsaber and ignited it, the pain of the heat scalding her palm. She sent the Force around her, begging it to protect her. The owner gasped, breathing an other worldly curse as he stared at her lightsaber.

"Where'd you get one of those?" He called up to her.

"Long story!" She shouted back, feeling her palm cool enough to lift it and stab the far edge of the fuel surge to begin cutting it away.

"Wiggle it!" The owner directed. "I'll catch it from down here."

Rey heard a _clink_ as he tossed away the destroyed fuel surge and aimed below her with outstretched hands. As instructed, Rey wiggled her sputtering blue lightsaber back and forth, cutting gently on one side, then the other until the fuel surge fell free from the ancient freighter and landed, (almost slipping) into the hands of the owner. Rey breathed quickly, dousing her lightsaber and letting herself descend. She landed on all fours, seemingly each joint grumbling their discontent with the move, but she ignored them, rising painfully to her feet.

"How much do I owe you?"

Ten credits, taken for her insistent banter of "I'm-not-stopping-so-save-your-breath-I-know-you-must-make-something." Once paid, the owner handed her the fuel surge like a relay baton and Rey bolted, her entire being focused on the _Millennium Falcon_ waiting to fly.

Naboo was eerily quiet, the bustling natives who had been outside and cheerful the day before had not emerged from their homes at all this day. In fact, the only ones who seemed to have any dealings with the outside world were palace guards who scurried from shadow to shadow, avoiding the Rebels at all costs as though they were enemies who would kill on sight. It was a welcoming sight for Rey as she could bolt center aisle down each avenue without running into some unfortunate. It also meant that she could run through the city instead of around it like she had done before, cutting her arrival time in half.

Though that was not to say that she wasn't completely exhausted by the time she ran through the evergreen meadows stinking with soft fuel and stress. Poe ran to her, already changed into his flightsuit, and caught her as her tight calves gave way, her lungs ready to burst.

"Relax, relax," He urged, turning her onto her back.

Rey stared at his face, a halo of sunlight formed around his hair. "I," gasp, "Got," gasp, "The fuel surge." Gasp, gasp, gasp.

Poe snapped his head up and shouted for Finn before turning back to her, smiling. "That's my best wingman!"

Rey smiled, her heart beating so loudly she was surprised he couldn't hear it. "I'm sorry," She breathed. "I'm," gasp, "I'm sorry."

"We've got a better chance now, because of you." Poe assured her, his heartbreaking smile beaming down at her.

"Rey!" Finn's voice shouted. His face appeared next to Poe's prompting their commander's face to change once again.

"Take Rey into the Falcon," He commanded, easily lifting her limp body to Finn's immediately outstretched arms. "I'm going to fit the fuel surge where it needs to go. We've got two hours worth of work and forty-five minutes to do it, let's go!"

She felt the metal pipe leave her grip, the cool of the soft breeze freezing her scalding palm. Mustering his strength, Finn lifted her to his chest and squelched through the grass and up the ramp of the _Millennium Falcon_. From what she could see, dozens of crew flew in an endless blur. Some even had hammers to whack hard drive files to pieces before the First Order had a chance to dissect them and discover pivotal secrets.

Finn carried her to the life support systems and seated her on a support bed, wordlessly handing her a breathing mask and turning on the oxygen so that it blasted her nose and lips with the precious air her lungs were begging her for.

"Hey," He told her softly, his eyes warm. "How are you? You okay?"

Rey nodded, pressing the mask to her face and inhaling slowly. She lifted a weak hand and waved it palm up in a gesture of "What?"

Finn's face smoothed with gravitas, his shoulders slumping. "Kylo Ren's been seen with two guards, only two. They stayed in some posh pad in the city, his guards coming in and out every now and then. The Nabooans, they're afraid of them."

"Yes, and indeed they should be." C-3PO's mechanical voice added, his shimmering body coming into the room, making Finn and Rey turn to him. "My intelligence has developed a profile of those, 'guards' as you call them. They are the Knights of Ren, a ruthless mercenary group that calls Kylo Ren their master."

"Yeah, I've heard of them before." Finn murmured. "Snoke didn't use them very much. I mean why would he when he had Kylo? But from what I heard," He shook his head and turned to Rey, "They were each one man Star Killers. If Snoke wanted someplace burned quietly, no survivors or traces of any kind, he'd send the Knights of Ren. He liked examples so he didn't call on them very much. But when he did…" He trailed off shaking his head and shivering.

"Yes, indeed." C-3PO admitted, waving his bent arms, "Which means we're doomed! He means to kill us all the moment the ceasefire has ended. I knew I shouldn't have left the star fleet!"

"Can it, Threepio!" Finn shouted, glaring at him.

"Is there no help?" Rey asked, her voice stifled by the air and the mask.

Finn turned back to her, his eyes immediately soft. "No." The word seemed to echo in the room. "We did everything we could to send the message, but no one would help us and our ships are out of fuel and cannot fire up. Two might make it into hyperspace but there's not telling how long they'll stay there or where they'll end up."

Rey pulled the mask down to her throat the strain of the elastic band pushing on her ears. "There is a ship left unguarded. Kylo Ren's ship."

Finn lifted an eyebrow in confusion, but leveled it the moment he understood. "It could transmit messages to both the First Order and the Rebellion."

Rey nodded, her breathing finally slowing to normal. "The private palaces are nearer into the city. To come and kill us, they would have already left."

Finn nodded, understanding hunching his shoulders. "Right," His face softened, and his hands slid into hers. "Alright, I'm going. But, before I go, I want you to know something."

Her hand reached up and touched his shoulder, that familiar stepping away feeling creeping over her. "Tell me when we see each other again." She told him, his face falling slightly. "And we will see each other again, Finn."

He leaned away, his lips mashing to a solid line before parting, "I'll see you soon, Rey."

"Go," She told him. "You're our last hope."

Finn nodded, squeezing her hands. For a moment, she thought he was going to kiss her. He leaned forward a fraction, his eyes seeming to study her face. He squeezed her hands, leaned back to swing to his feet and stood. "I'll see you on Takodana."

Rey watched him go, her chest alighting for the first time in a while. She swallowed, and rose to her feet, her calves absolutely burning. Slowly, she hobbled to the cockpit, seeing Finn and Kaydel Connix bolt helter-skelter across the grassy plane. She sat down in the pilot's seat, hands instinctively gripping the steering controls. Suddenly, the radio barked Poe's voice.

"Can somebody hear me? Is anyone there?"

Rey grabbed the speaker, "This is Rey, what do you need?"

"Turn on the Falcon, I think we're ready to go."

"Copy that," Rey replied, hands already switching on the many buttons and switches that would begin to give the ancient ship life. As the ship began to give signs of life, she looked out the windshield and saw a figure dressed entirely in black move across the horizon in a slow, purposeful gait. She reached for the last button, stealing glances at the figure, realizing with a tightening chest and gritting teeth that this man was masked, the silver lined jaw piece jutting slightly over the eye shield to further distort the man's appearance.

The _Millennium Falcon_ gave a mechanical whistle, and the control panel shivered with light as the jet turbines sputtered awake. A quick glance determined that the ship had enough fuel for one hyperdrive jump and then gentle cruising, but not much else. Rey heard pounding feet up the ramp, followed by Poe's handsome, sweating face over her shoulder. "Alright, we're good to go," He told her, looking for the ship's status as she had. "Inform the readied ships that they can take off."

A cold, nail scratching feeling slithered down Rey's side, straightening her. She rotated in her chair to the cockpit door, completely ignoring Poe, seeing Ben standing in the meadow, black cloak swaying in the wind. He must have known that she was watching him, but his eyes never lifted. Instead, he looked with a relaxed attention on the object in his hands. Her eyes travelled to his hands and she gasped, her own hands gripping the seat rests. He held his mask in both hands.

"Ben," Rey cried, fear gripping her more than anger.

Poe looked at her, also turning his chair to see what she was begging for. "Rey?" He breathed, seeing nothing but a metal wall.

But Rey couldn't hear him, she was gone from the _Millennium Falcon_ , present only before the one she called in futility, "Ben?"

He didn't look at her, only at the mask in his hands.

"Ben!" She screamed, leaning forward in her chair. She shot out her arm, calling on the Force, "You will put that mask down."

Nothing. He simply moved his mask slightly to his left, admiring it.

Rey shoved her hand through her hair, "Ben, this isn't you. That mask isn't you. You're…" She trailed off, feeling deep within her that the last thing she wanted to do was to tell him what he was feeling. Snoke had done that, and she was quite certain that his parents did that as well. She had to be different.

But she wasn't, in that moment. He flicked his eyes to her in that silence, watching her squirm before him. It was what he had wanted from the moment he first saw her on Takodana all those years ago. He had wanted her to be afraid of him like the rest. Now, the feeling revolted him. His onyx eyes swept her body, his chest dangerously calm. Slowly, he turned the mask so that the back faced him, and he bowed his head.

"Ben!" Rey cried, her voice breaking.

His fluffy hair was immediately tamed, his plump lips hidden, and his beautiful eyes erased to this devilish black mask outlined with silver. His thumbs pushed the buttons that sealed the jawline smooth, and he lifted his head, hers no longer.

Rey stared at him, her chest sputtering with tears. "Poe," She sobbed, "Get everyone on the ship." She felt, rather than saw, him rush out of the cockpit.

Kylo Ren moved his cloak aside, his silver cross blade handle glinting in the sunlight. He unclipped it, lifted his leg, stomped it down on a cluster of yellow flowers and ignited the blood red laser.

SWSWSW

Finn and Kaydel Connix skidded to a halt outside of a sandstone and green turquoise mansion. "You sure this is where Ren stayed?" Finn demanded, looking over her buns.

"Positive," She whispered, barely moving.

Gingerly, she stepped forward, moving her head all around on a constant swivel for anyone possibly guarding the mansion. Suddenly, a Storm Trooper emerged from a lower stair. "Hey!" He shouted, pointing his blaster at her. "How did you get in here?"

Connix shot out a palm towards Finn, halting him whilst holding her other hand high. "I'm sorry," She told him, "I'm a servant from the palace sent to serve the Supreme Leader."

"Get over here," The Trooper commanded. "Where's your uniform or your assignment papers?"

Connix neared him quickly, but her kick to his groin was faster. She dodged the blaster by pulling herself to his side, jamming her elbow into the black tender area that was not covered by white armor. Finn bolted from his hiding position as the Trooper fell over, wheezing in his mask.

Finn grabbed the fallen blaster and pointed it at Connix's victim. "Where's Ren's spaceship?"

"Below," The mechanical voice wheezed, doing his best to gesture with his leg.

"And the code to get into it?"

"3-8-1-9!" The Trooper shouted, his voice echoing in the courtyard. Finn looked up a and saw Connix had already skipped to the stairs, leaving Finn to kick the Trooper out cold.

She ran down the stairs and waited for him, then tapped in a different code in the keypad, "That's not right!" Finn cried.

The door elevated, exposing them to a clean, sandstone and green turquoise hangar where Kylo Ren's ship, the _Raven Starr_ , lied in wait for it's master. That beautiful, fear inducing TIE Fighter waited like a dog posted on guard whilst it's master was away on business. Finn looked upon it and gasped, feeling like the ship itself would attack in place of Kylo. But Connix bolted towards it with complete disregard for caution.

"How'd you do that?" Finn asked, looking down at Connix, "How'd you open the door?"

"Long story." She told him, then rushed forward towards the entrance of the dark ship, Finn on her heels. She punched in the Storm Trooper's code on the glass square that had surely been wiped clean by a servant or Trooper. The ramp lowered with a gentle hiss, making Finn awe at the prestige and finesse of such a space ship. The interior was glossy black steel with white enamel finishing. It was sleek, modern, and could withstand anything six X-Wings could throw at it. It could hold up to a dozen passengers and three gunners, though it only ever used one. Even the pilot's and passengers' seats were black leather, leaving Finn to wonder if the ship had a refrigerator for beverages and snacks.

Finn watched Connix rush to the control panel, the entire thing -save the steering units- looking like a solid board of glass. It appeared that the ship could shift into two modes: steering and combat that would lower the pilot into a safer position where they could be in command of absolutely everything. But at this moment, it was in cruising mode, allowing Connix to easily maneuver it.

"Chewbacca is the closest," Finn told her, reaching over and pressing the button to close the ramp door. He turned his back on Connix, lifting his blaster to his chest, ready for any intruders.

Connix tapped away on the glass panel, red letters appearing on the windshield before her, reflecting off her pale cheeks. "I've got it!" She chirped, looking at him over her shoulder. "I'm sending a hyperwave to Chewbacca and the Resistance." She turned and tapped, her fingers audible in the tense quiet. "Man, this thing is nice."

Finn swallowed, "You think Poe would like to fly it?"

Connix whirled around, her eyes wide. "What?"

Finn turned half around to smirk at her, "You're a pilot, right?"

SWSWSW

Rey watched, frozen with terror as Kylo Ren waited, watching the sun, the sounds of panicking Rebels pounding into the _Millennium Falcon_ and other ships of refuge.

From somewhere, she heard Poe's voice. Something touched her forearm, and for a moment she wanted to slap it away, to preserve this moment with her tormentor. The thing gripped her shoulder, and she gave in, tearing herself from the towering vision of Kylo Ren to stare, nose nearly brushing, at Poe's face.

"Rey," He breathed, enunciating each word, "We need, to go!"

"He wants me," She breathed. "All of this, is for me. He wants, me."

Poe's grip on her shoulder tightened. "Rey, I know what you're thinking. You can't."

"If I go, it'll draw the attention away from you and the Rebels. Give you a chance."

He shook his head, his eyes softening, "I can't let you do this."

"I'm sorry," Rey pleaded. She thrust her opened palm at him, the Force sending him flying to the co-pilot's seat. She jumped up and bolted out the door, brushing passed the Rebels as they ran into the _Millennium Falcon_.

She skidded down the ramp, several people still running, still trying to fix what couldn't be fixed in the seconds remaining. Many were still running outside, knowing that they wouldn't all fit. Rey herself could feel the hourglass run out of sand the moment her feet touched the tainted grass.

"BEN NO!"

Kylo Ren lifted his lightsaber above his head, both arms raised, then slammed it down with all his might on the fuel soaked ground in front of him, sending a curtain of fire towards the ships.

Kylo watched as the fire chased down the Rebels not quick enough to take shelter. Their screams reached above the blaze, shapeless masses moving through the waving flames as the fire closed around them, consuming the ships.

A blue light cut through the orange and out shot Rey, her teeth gritted in absolute fury, a roar screeching from her throat. She bolted forth, her eyes, fiery and filled with hate, were locked on him. Kylo's lightsaber caught hers, buzzing and hissing as she rotated her arms and attacked him again, then again, her rage blinding her. Kylo's arms shivered with tension as his muscles contracted, absorbing her blows and pushing her away from the fire.

They separated, her toes digging into the delicate meadow, her body hunched. Her feelings hummed with sheer hatred and disappointment, the animal instinct to defend her young flashing red in her eyes. Kylo stood tall, his lightsaber light in his hands. He opened himself to the Force, feeling the world burn in chaos around him. He liked this feeling, it had happened so many times before that he thoroughly enjoyed it. The ships strained under the heat of the fire, the ants building their mounds retreated deep into their tunnels. The wind whipped, casting more embers over delicate flowers and grass. There was no peace except for that which he made.

"Let the past die," He told her calmly.

"No!" She screamed, lifting her lightsaber and charging him.

They fought, crossing blades and jabs, Rey even punching Kylo's jaw at one instance, only to receive for it a swift pulling of her hair that swung her nearly to the fire. Rey looked up and saw a silver object fly over her eyes, hitting her square in the face.

Then all went black.

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	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Koita Mathe swung his lightsaber and slew three Rebels that fired at him from the ramp of the _Millennium Falcon_. The heat from the fire was stifling in his mask and his cloak had long been abandoned, kissed by flame and no longer of any use. As soon as he cleared the ramp, he punched the rickety old button to close it, sealing him in with perhaps twenty or so rebels. All unarmed.

Their screams pierced his ears, but he couldn't stop to flinch. They were all of nefarious intent against the First Order and needed to be suppressed by any means necessary. Meticulously, he moved through the loading room and the medical room, hardly registering the feel of his lightsaber against the bodies of those enemies. He even took down a brassy protocol droid that waved his arms in protest, hardly seeing it. No, he only saw the First Order and it's need to be ensured.

Suddenly, the door slid shut behind him, it's ancient -yet efficient- locks clicking into place. Koita Mathe rolled his eyes, then slammed his lightsaber through the door, wounding the wise numbskull who thought to suppress him. Commander Dameron, the Force told him that much of whom was it that was wise, but not wise enough. All that noise for a cut to the arm though…

The Force tingled around him, turning his chin over his shoulder. Faroh was in danger. Grave danger. And the Rebels were fleeing. Koita Mathe turned back to the door and began to twist his lightsaber towards the control panel, feeling the Force for both his comrade and the situation at hand.

Faroh screamed in the Force, Koita Mathe feeling a pressure on his head unlike anything he had yet known. It was a squeeze, almost like a choke hold, but upon his temples where there wasn't anything to move. At least, not yet.

"Faroh!" Koita Mathe shouted, recalling his lightsaber as he felt the Rebels leave the sagacious ship from another hatch than the main ramp, (To where, He thought in the back of his mind). "Faroh! Who is hurting you? Is it the girl?"

"K-K-K!" Faroh's voice echoed in Koita Mathe's ears. "K-Kyl…"

Silence, followed by a relief on Koita Mathe's temples.

A pain seared Koita Mathe's chest and he clutched it, bending over at the waist for a moment. His brother-in-arms, his fellow knight… had fallen. That rebel scum had slain a Knight of Ren! He screamed, latching onto the Force with every ounce of rage, every breath that escaped his lips that should have filled his brother's body, and twisted the Force to bend to his will.

The door groaned, then sputtered, then… _CLACK!_ Shriveled into a useless heap and flew away from him, allowing him into the smoking corridor. He turned, hearing a hatch close, and feeling the presence of the rebels evade him. He turned again and moved towards the cockpit, the Force telling him that the cunning of the rebels was not limited to their commander.

SWSWSW

Kylo stood over Rey's body, flicking his eyes from her to the lifeless heap that was his personal guard. He had been too focused on Rey to have seen Faroh come from the field to protect him, and had knocked Rey unconscious. But he did see his own hand shoot up and clamp the Force upon his fellow knight's head, a rage sweeping over him that he had not felt since deciding to murder Snoke. He stood there, the consequences of his actions lapping over him like the very fire that burned before him.

The penalty for murdering a fellow knight was death. This was nothing short of deserving of that punishment. He had slain his brother-in-arms, not only his subordinate, for merely touching this woman who was trying to kill him. He lifted his head, searching for Koita Mathe. He could feel him trying to communicate with Faroh, but had killed him before the man could confess his murderer. If he kicked Faroh's body into the fire, no one would know…

A gust of wind rustled his cloak, the feeling of danger slithering down his spine. Instinctively, he bent over and scooped Rey into his arms, her head lolling over his arm and her body incredibly soft. He turned around, seeing his own model TIE Fighter, the _Raven Starr,_ hovering before him, cannons loaded and poised for firing.

"Don't be ridiculous," He told the pilot, sending his message through the Force. "You'll kill her."

SW

Finn watched in horror as the Terror of the Galaxy held Rey in his arms once more. What made it worse was her arm, waving freely in the air, started towards her forehead, but suddenly dropped it at the movement of Kylo's fingers.

"Disengage the canons." Finn hissed, looking over Connix's shoulder.

"We have a shot." She nearly whispered.

Finn glared at her. "No, we don't."

She whirled around to glare at him, but he cut her off. "That's an order, lieutenant."

SW

Kylo continued to stare at his ship, admiring it's lethal beauty. Suddenly, one of the Rebel ships below it burst into a ball of fire, forcing the TIE pilot to glide away from the blasts. From the top of the _Millennium Falcon_ , shouts could be heard, and Kylo turned. Standing in crouched, determined fear, were at least a dozen or so rebels who appeared to have escaped Koita Mathe.

He turned back to his ship and sent another message via the Force, "Trade? Rey's life for your rebels?"

SW

Finn leaned away, the voice that had haunted his dreams echoing fresh in his ears. Trade? His best friend and crush for Poe, Rose, and other rebels that lead the Resistance? His chest heaved and he began to shake his head. No, he couldn't do it! He couldn't give her up for the world.

Connix turned to look at him over her shoulder, her face calm, expectant.

The moment he looked at her, Finn knew that the answer was simple, and yet so devastating. Rey was one woman, one who could handle herself against all that the First Order had to offer; they had seen it countless times. The Rebels on the other hand were-

"The _Falcon_ is starting up!" Connix told him suddenly, twitching her chin to stare, wide eyed, out the massive windows.

Finn looked back to Kylo and Rey, watching him pull his attention from the shivering _Falcon_ to the _Raven Starr_ , waiting for a response.

"Focus all attention on recovery efforts of the Rebels," Finn told her, his heart shattering as he spoke. "Leave Rey."

SW

Kylo watched with grim satisfaction as Koita Mathe lifted the _Millennium Falcon_ above the flames to keep the ship from exploding, and the two man crew of the _Raven Starr_ throw down a spare rope ladder for their own to climb. The Rebels looked first at it in speculation, but one, Poe Dameron, shouted up to the _Raven Starr_ and latched on to the swaying ladder. Kylo watched them go, a deep hatred settling into his chest as he shot feelings to Koita Mathe, commanding him to hold the ship steady.

They would pay dearly for taking his precious ship, but that would come later when they would begin negotiations for Rey. He adjusted the unconscious woman in his arms, holding her closer in case any of the rebels tried to be brave. Her beacon of light within the Force pulsed, the result of the blow and his technique to keep her unconscious. There were others among the Rebels that flickered in the Force, the misfortune of their birth keeping them completely oblivious to the fact which pleased him greatly.

Poe Dameron saw the last Rebel onto the ladder, then latched on himself, his face turning back to Kylo and his captive, his jaw setting with frustration.

Kylo smirked beneath his mask. "Koita, fly"

The _Millennium Falcon_ moved forward, nearly pulling Dameron with it. He dangled, one leg unattached to anything at all as both arms gripped the rope ladder. He gritted his teeth and pulled himself upward, hands waving above him encouraging him to climb all the faster.

Kylo turned his back on his pirated ship, his feet crunching slightly on the meadow's surface, the smell of burning flesh and jet fluid seeping through his mask, the auditory sensors detecting nothing but crackling and the occasional shrill shriek of an overheated bullet. The ship that he hated far more than the Rebels' ideals themselves settled before him, the rear sputtering from the damage the native Nabooans had inflicted upon it. Kylo swallowed, accepting that he would have to ride in it once more.

The ramp lowered, and Koita Mathe rushed out, mask pointed first at his superior, then at their comfortable TIE fighter hovering above them.

"Think they'll fight?" He asked Kylo, standing shoulder to shoulder with him.

"No," Kylo told him firmly. "They wouldn't risk losing the girl." He turned, more to show the Rebels of their choice rather than to look. "We'll be fine."

Dameron had finished climbing and the rope ladder and rear door closed, securing the remaining Rebels within. Kylo watched them, Rey's body pulling on his muscles, imagining the face of the traitorous Storm Trooper, FN-2187, glare down at him. He had seen his face the night before, the same glare, a combination of hatred and reverence and imagined those sentiments intensified. In the recesses of his mind Kylo wondered, did he have a name? Or did he keep his Storm Trooper call code as the only name given to him by the handlers?

The TIE Fighter shivered, the result of an inexperienced pilot, before lurching forward, lifting through the clouds, leaving their precious warrior to sway, almost lifeless, in Kylo's arms.

SWSWSW

Connix pushed them through the atmosphere into the sea of stars and nebulae, and looked over her shoulder at Finn as he staggered back, hands flying to his hair at the weight of his decision. A hand tapped her arm and she looked up, seeing Poe over her shoulder, gesturing to take command of the ship. Carefully maneuvering around her, Poe whistled. "Wow," He declared, smiling and adjusting his bloody arm, "This thing is nice."

"Head's up!" Rose cried, slamming her palms onto the control board, eyes wide as she looked out the windshield.

Poe looked up, seeing no less than four rounded Special Forces TIE fighters hover in front of them with several more cutting through the black of space to appear before them. "It's okay," Poe told her, taking in the different array of buttons and switches before him, "In this thing, we're invisible."

"What about Rey and the _Falcon_?" Rose asked, looking at him. "They'll blow it out of the sky."

He hesitated, his hand hovering over a particular switch. From the commlink, voices began overlapping, asking questions. He moved his hand and spoke into the commlink, "You've been listening to Rebel Scum Radio, let's take a request from caller number one."

Rose stifled a laugh as radio chatter ceased for a solid five seconds before someone demanded, "Black Command, could you repeat that? Over."

"Sorry caller number one, I don't have that particular song on my schematic. Please call again." He touched the button labelled "tactical" and let out a yelp when the seat dropped two feet and slid him forward, the entire command board shifting the panels upward to project a complete frontal and side view of the battle scene, right and left control sticks thrusting into his hands. The only problem were his feet that dangled a solid foot away from the foot pedals.

"How tall is this guy?" Poe breathed, reaching between his legs for the adjustment lever that shot the pedals to his own inadequate height. At once, he pushed both control sticks towards the battle screens, propelling the TIE fighter forward at such a speed he heard the surviving Rebels let out screams.

"Sorry!" Poe called over his shoulder, watching the Special Forces TIEs follow him, the radio chatter silencing once again. "Alright, Chewbacca where are you?" Poe said, scanning the screens for the freighter.

"I told him to run," Connix's voice called behind him. "I told him to get out and find the others."

"Alright, then." Poe replied, tapping at what looked like the hyperspace controls whilst watching the Special Forces TIEs begin to follow him, radio chatter scarce as they moved. Once they were a safe distance away, he grinned and touched the telecom button, and licked his lips, "This is Poe Dameron of Rebel Scum Radio, thanks for tuning in. We'll be seeing you soon. Laters!"

He pushed the button that accessed the coordinates and grinned as the stars stretched before him in long, white streaks and propelled them forward into a vast tube of (hopefully) untraceable safety.

SWSWSW

Finn fell hard into a leather seat, chest heaving with disbelief and disgust. He had left Rey. _Rey!_ Tears stung at his eyes, but nothing compared to the tightening within his chest at the thought of it. Once again, that black figure in the mask, the Terror of the Galaxy, carried her away from him. Finn looked around the comfortable ship, once the object of his admiration. It was now a warped, hideous thing because it's efficiency and comfort took him farther and farther from Rey.

"We're going to get her back," Poe's voice told him, pulling Finn's glance toward him. He leaned against the doorframe, and he clutched an arm soaked with blood as Connix fiddled with a surgical droid. "I saw Ren with Rey. We'll get her back, I promise."

"What if they kill her?" Finn's asked, though he couldn't recall opening his mouth.

Poe shook his head, "I don't think they will. She's got a connection with him, something I've never seen before. He's not going to kill her, it'll backfire on him."

Finn blinked, and this time he remembered speaking. "Are you sure?"

Poe swallowed, looking to Connix as she joined him, realizing that Rose had taken over the pilot's seat now returned to cruiser mode, her face red and wet. "No," Poe whispered, reaching out to touch Connix's back. "I have no idea what they'll do to her. But," He turned back to Finn, "She's my family, too. I won't stop until I've done everything in my power to get her back. I promise."

SWSWSW

Kylo watched Rey as she slept, lain down on the communal couch where he had left her. He sat across from her on one of the stowaway chairs, hands clasped in front of him, in control of everything in the ship from the dead bodies to Koita Mathe who flew them. She had gained weight from the last time he carried her, a good thing given the bones that he had felt upon her stomach the first time. Her face was soft, reminding him of that look. He had forgotten it, recalling all her faces but that one. Her mouth was soft, opened slack just slightly, and her eyebrows had small sprouts beneath their arches, a result of plucking. She tried to make herself appear beautiful, but for whom? And who would dare to suggest that she wasn't already lovely to look at?

Koita Mathe sent them into hyperspace, a tunnel of blue and white shooting around the ancient ship. Not that Kylo could see the accustomed sight from where he sat. He could have, if he turned his head and leaned back on the seat rest. But he did not turn his gaze from Rey once, and his feelings hardly wavered from her. The Force was drawing him to her, but he could not explain why. It simply felt, right, to be with her in this way.

Comfortable with their situation, Koita Mathe stood, and moved back to the common area where Kylo sat. Koita Mathe reached up and removed his mask, his face awash with sweat and flattened blond hair.

"We will make it to the _Finalizer_ , courtesy of fuel from her royal highness the Queen of Naboo," He announced. "After that, this junk should hit the decommission pile."

Kylo didn't have to look at Koita Mathe's face to know that he was unsettled. The death of Faroh had deeply disturbed him, and not only as a grieving knight. Kylo could also feel his guard's fingers gliding over his brain for anything that might shed light on the subject rather than ask it outright. Kylo blocked him, not in the mood to be searched.

"What happened to Faroh?"

Had he not trained rigorously to withhold emotion, Kylo would have exhaled and rolled his eyes. Instead, he replied in a calm monotone, "He died in battle."

"A Kight of Ren does not so easily fall, Kylo," Koita Mathe told him.

"I told you she was strong," Kylo told him, still admiring Rey. She had a wounded hand, one that smelled of burnt flesh and sterile gauze rather than bacta fluid. "You're no match for her, much less Faroh. To have challenged her was foolish of him."

"You were fighting her," Koita Mathe breathed. "You must have fought her with Faroh at your side. She overpowered the both of you?"

Kylo turned slowly toward Koita Mathe, anger flaring, inspiring him to stand straight in apology for his insubordination.

"She got a lucky shot."

"Yes, sir." Koita Mathe replied, his feelings still unsettled.

SW

For hours, they flew in silence, Kylo always watching Rey to ensure that she wouldn't awake on them. She did only once, but with a wave of his hand, her head resettled on the cushion and she was at peace.

"Pretty little thing, isn't she?"

Kylo turned to Koita Mathe, seeing him with his mask off and leaning against the wall Kylo remembered seeing his father lean against. Kylo said nothing, knowing that his feelings of agreement could be read by his companion.

"When was the last time you saw your family, Koita?" He asked at last.

"Seven months, three weeks, and four days, sir." Koita Mathe answered, his feelings uneased again. If Kylo didn't know any better, he would say that Koita Mathe remembering his family would be the cause of his discontent. Thankfully, he wasn't so naïve. Koita Mathe was worried that he would not be at Kylo's side if he saw his family.

"I want you to go home to your family, Koita." Kylo commanded, turning back to Rey. "Spend time with them, a month, I think. Then rejoin me."

"And what will you do for protection in the meanwhile, sir?"

Kylo leaned back in his seat, feeling his back release tension. "Send me another two knights, ones I'm familiar with. But not until you step onto the _Nest_. I want to give those who would betray me a chance to try something. Civil disputes must be contained before they spread."

"Very good, sir." Koita Mathe answered.

Kylo could feel the gentle fingers of the Force sweep over his brain, clawing gently at his thoughts and feelings like a delicate massage. He whirled on Koita Mathe, the fingers evaporating the moment he moved.

"Do you have anything to add?"

Koita Mathe's eyes searched Kylo's frame, then moved to Rey, admiring her as she slept. "Do you love her, Kylo?" He whispered, looking back to him. "There's no doubt she would make a wonderful apprentice and a powerful Knight of Ren should she choose to take the vows of knighthood."

His eyes looked away for a moment, an idea coming to mind. "What if I took her with me to the _Nest_?"

Kylo leaned away, looking to Rey as the idea settled into his mind.

"We've made dependable knights made of stubborner stuff that what she's got," Koita Mathe urged, moving from his post to stand next to his superior. "And… from what our brothers can attest, female knights make the pretties brides."

Kylo listened, letting himself ponder the implications of allowing Rey to go to such a place as the _Nest_.

"I'll think on it." He said at last, the monotone voice emitting from his mask hiding his true feelings. "When you get there, prepare a place for her. She will be my apprentice when she is loyal to the First Order... if I decide she is to go."

This time, Koita Mathe's feelings jittered with an almost childlike joy. The man smiled, "Yes, sir."

Kylo waited for him to leave, practicing his breathing as he imagined a black cloak swaying from Rey's shoulders, a black dress hanging from her hips and tightened over her bust, a crimson lightsaber in her delicate hands. Kylo reached up and touched the buttons to relieve his mask, pulling it from his shoulders.

"My apprentice…" He breathed. "My… apprentice."

SWSWSW

At some point, Finn was able to stand and look around the _Raven Starr_. Around him, Rebels huddled, still shocked by such violence inflicted on what was supposed to be a peaceful farewell to General Organa.

"Hey," A gentle voice called behind him.

He turned and saw the kind face of Rose upturned in a half smile. "You saved us," She breathed.

He shook his head, "Not all of us."

Her eyes hardened and she shook her head. "Just like the First Order to ruin something so precious as a funeral."

"They saw an opportunity and they took it," Finn told her.

"It was Rey," A voice called out.

They turned and saw a lieutenant curled halfway into a ball on the floor, glaring at them. Her jacket had blood smears and upon her trousers were smoke stains. The moment she spoke, what small chatter there was silenced.

"It was Captain Rey," She repeated, her voice rising. "She invited that monster to the funeral! She did this to us!"

"That's enough," Finn warned.

The lieutenant scoffed, "You don't want to hear it, but it's true. She's exactly where she deserves to be for causing this."

"The First Order would have shown up anyways," Poe's voice called, directing all eyes to him as he stood up from his chair, a bacta wrap around his arm. He moved to the center of the gathered Rebels, Connix coming to stand close to him. "We intercepted four transmissions from friendly pilots around Naboo. The First Order was told to stand down, but also to be prepared for battle. I'm not saying I'm condoning Captain Rey's actions, but…" He shook his head, "There's no way we could have made it out without losing some of our own."

"Then why did we go in the first place?" Someone demanded, several voices chiming in with agreement.

"It was a gamble," Poe confessed. "We hoped they would honor the ceasefire. We planned on getting off Naboo well before that clock hit zero, but that didn't happen." He opened his mouth, then closed it, then added, "It's not just Captain Rey's fault."

Finn looked at Poe, grim realization coming over him as he realized his friend was avoiding his gaze.

"What will happen to Rey?" Rose asked, shifting her weight towards Finn.

Poe inhaled slightly, then turned to them. "I will have to report her actions to the council."

Finn felt a block of ice fall into the pit of his stomach. He swallowed hard, but said nothing.

Poe continued, "After that, it will be the decision of the council whether or not to begin hostage negotiations with the First Order… if there are negotiations to be had at all."

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	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

General Hux moved onto the bridge, an ease floating over his shoulders as he moved. Four days, that was how long it had been since he last heard or saw from Supreme Leader Ren and his black buffoon. The First Order had been under his absolute command, (following strict instructions left by Ren, of course, but at Hux's leisure). The Storm Troopers had been inexplicably compliant, placid even, in taking their orders and fulfilling them. Yes, Hux thought, Things are indeed better without Ren or his sorcerer.

"General Hux, sir!" A lieutenant cried out.

Hux turned his heel, looking to the officer with his hand raised. "What is it?"

"We are receiving a transmission from…" She lifted her eyebrows in disbelief, "A freighter designated as the _Millennium Falcon_."

"What?!" Hux demanded, his heart stopping for a second. "Run it through."

"Yes, sir." The officer tapped a button and nodded to Hux, turning the general to face the hologram projectors.

At once, the pale blue image of Kylo Ren in mask and black cloak appeared before him, sending ice through Hux's veins.

"Supreme Leader, sir!" Hux exclaimed, snapping to attention as the heads of his command bridge looked up.

"The Rebels took my ship," He announced in a calm, monotone. "I was forced to improvise my method of transportation."

Amusement fluttered over Hux's face, "The Rebels, took your ship?"

Kylo stared at him, then lifted his hand. Hux felt a vice grab a handful of his hair and smack him, face first, onto the glossy black floor. Three times, in succession. The pain in Hux's forehead caused him to groan and writhe on the floor, his chest tightening with fury.

"Second in command!" Kylo's voice boomed over him.

From somewhere in the back of the command bridge, General Ogren rushed forth, "Sir!"

"We are arriving with a prisoner. The girl Rey, target number one. Take these instructions down, I want them followed to the letter." He waited, allowing Hux to turn his head back to General Ogren, seeing him accept a holopad from a task runner. Ren didn't wait for anyone, a trait passed on from his predecessor, meaning that this command was of upmost importance.

As soon as General Ogren appeared to be ready to take notes, Kylo began. "The girl is a danger, so I do not want a single being going near her. Program a droid to check on her every half hour. Nothing big, a BB unit should do. We will be coming with her lightsaber, it is not to be in the same room with her. Lock it up." He paused, looking beyond the hologram recorder at something before turning back. "I will interrogate her personally. No one else, is that understood?"

"Yes, Supreme Leader!" General Ogren declared, typing furiously.

"General Hux, get off the floor unless you wish to lick it clean."

Hux inhaled, his fists clenching as his chest constricted unbearably. He drew himself up, inhaling to keep his emotions in check. Despite the distance and use of technology to communicate, he knew, could _feel_ , Kylo staring at him eye to eye. "We will be arriving in an hour's time. I expect to see you on the landing dock."

Hux nodded, rage surging through his veins, "Yes, Supreme Leader."

Without any further adieu, the transmission severed, leaving Hux to stare at his own reflection in the bay window. He swallowed, knowing that he needed to compose himself lest he appear to be like Ren who had a reputation of letting his rage escape at whim. He turned to his left, catching the eye of Captain Frees. She stood, watching him with hawkish eyes and trigger ready hands. He nodded once to her. She gave a curt nod in return, then about faced away from him.

Hux moved towards General Ogren, hardly looking at the man as he said, "Prepare the droid. I will ready the welcoming party."

Two brigades of Storm Troopers rushed onto the _Finalizer's_ landing dock, running in nearly perfect rows to stand in formation, waiting for their Supreme Leader. Waiting in their own formation, General Hux and the chain of command stood, their lips sealed after having judged Hux's mood correctly. He paced in his allotted four feet of walking space, seething.

Each time that girl had been in their custody, something happened and she was a direct cause. The first time, she and the other Rebels had destroyed Star Killer Base and severely wounded Ren. The second time, she killed former Supreme Leader Snoke and then incapacitated Ren. Hux could hardly wait to see what she would do this time. If she killed Ren, he might be tempted to offer her the title of Queen of the Galaxy beside him. Might, though the thought of sharing power with anyone, even a wife, left a certain sour taste in his mouth.

He turned his heel, turning from one wall of white lined Storm Troopers, to another. They had been better without Ren. He knew it, the chain of command knew it, and the Storm Troopers were better off because of it. They were under a military dictatorship, led by him, General Armitage Hux, and the First Order was at full function because of it. Ren was far too unpredictable for anyone's good and that caused… problems. Mostly for Hux who had to prove that he was up for the challenge of meeting Ren's fire with equal ferocity. Since Ren had donned his custom silver robes (another challenge that had certainly added another brick of stress placed upon Hux's chest), Hux had felt particularly dog-like and not in the positive way. Always fetching and doing Ren's bidding, always waiting and nearly flinching in his presence waiting for the sorcerer's reprimands.

He flexed his sore hands, lifting them to his chest to rub them. It was far from exhausting, beyond humiliating to be treated in this way. The sooner the girl killed Ren, the better. Dealing with her would be his particular problem, something he would have to deal with when the time came.

Footsteps rushed over the sleek floor, not encouraging Hux to turn in the slightest. "General Hux, sir!" A voice called, this time prompting a turn. "They're inbound!"

Hux glared at the lieutenant, then turned away from him, fuming out the main hangar entry in time to see the big cream colored freighter appear out of hyperspace and sail, sputtering, into the landing dock.

Such a hideous old ship, Hux thought eyeing it.

The thrusters sputtered to a halt, fluttering off. He exhaled, and jerked his head towards the ship, sauntering towards it with the chain of command in tow. In a hiss of steam, the ramp lowered, revealing Kylo Ren, tall and proud with his mask off. Behind him, Koita Mathe Ren stood with his mask on and the seemingly lifeless body of the girl slung over his shoulder, her legs hanging over his chest like decoration.

Immediately, Hux and the other officers of command dropped to their knees in respect, each one but Hux lowering their heads. Ren's eyes merely swept over Hux's frame, acknowledging his presence, then twitched over the other officers of command in silent roll call. His eyes settled back on Hux, waiting for the proper welcome.

"Supreme Leader Ren, welcome back to the _Finalizer_ ," Hux told him as courteously as possible.

He could have sworn his face twitched in amusement. "Good to see such a reception," Ren replied.

"The detention ward has been prepped with your exact instructions."

Ren looked over his shoulder at Koita Mathe who stepped forward with his cargo, looking for a release. From the side, three Storm Troopers arrived pushing a portable interrogation chair.

For a second, Hux couldn't explain why, he was drawn to Ren's face as the chair was wheeled in. There was something different about him then, he was… compassionate. Almost sorry that she had to be placed on such a shackle. Ren swallowed, his stature unwavering, but his eyes appraising each move they made placing this Rebel scum into the chair, the clamps securing the moment she was settled.

"Be careful with her," Koita Mathe commanded, tearing Hux's attention away from their Supreme Leader. "The Resistance will pay dearly for her."

Hux could feel Ren's gaze upon him, the hairs on the back of his neck prickling the longer he waited to face him.

"What happened with the crew from the _Vulture_?" Ren demanded at last, stepping around Hux to slowly follow the girl.

"Only one pilot escaped from the Resistance's grasp," Hux told him, following along with quick steps to keep up with Ren's long strides. "She landed on a friendly system and was able to give detailed coordinates on the location of the fallen dreadnought. Sir," Hux inhaled, his feelings of discomfort kicking in his stomach, "We were unable to recover the plans for the Central Systems via impersonal connections. It has been recommended that we send a squadron of intelligence troopers to the wreckage-"

"Give the command to destroy it," Ren ordered. "It will send a message to the Resistance as well as take out their key analysts."

"Yes, Supreme Leader," Hux replied, doing his best to keep his emotions in check.

Ren whirled on Hux, his face telling the experienced general that Ren used his sorcery to determine Hux's indignation. "The Rebels will have an increased interest in finding our weaknesses. They will not discard a single shred of information lest it be truly important."

Hux nodded, scowling internally that he had not thought of that. "Yes, Supreme Leader."

"Pull the files from our archives, find the plans for the Central Systems. They might not have been a complete file but they might be spaced out as individual uploads."

Hux's eyes widened as his heart slowed to a stop, "Th-that's nearly four hundred files, sir."

"Then you had best get started, General."

With that, Ren turned his heel and left Hux standing in the middle of the hallway, Storm Troopers returning to their posts in long, white lines.

SWSWSW

Takodana

BB-8 watched the horizon, waiting for signs of friendly ships to return. He had been anxious these last few days, unable to settle on a single task. R2-D2 had detected his unease and had scolded him several times for it. Droids were not meant to allow the bipeds cause for concern, and BB-8 was particularly dependable.

Still, he could not help but wonder what Poe was doing without him or if he needed his help. Knowing Poe, he would need BB-8's help at some point. That hardly concerned him compared to what was taking them so _long._ They should have been back long before the First Order's allotted ceasefire ran out.

The ancient wheeling sound of R2-D2 rolled towards BB-8 and the experienced astromech pulled beside him, beeping rhythmically.

Where are they? R2-D2 asked.

BB-8 issued a low hoot, I don't know. No news.

Not good, R2-D2 replied.

BB-8 wanted to rebuke his companion, to declare that Poe would be alright and would return to them as sure as the rain would come the next day, but something caught his eye. He turned his head, seeing three orange lights in the night sky. BB-8 issued a shaking squawk, drawing R2-D2's attention.

What is that? BB-8 asked, narrowing his lense to get a better look.

A ship, R2-D2 declared. But what kind?

They watched, waiting for the ship to come closer to determine panic or celebration. Suddenly, BB-8 chirped excitedly. Chewbacca!

Immediately, R2-D2 rushed back to the safety of the temporary Rebel base and extended a metal arm into a socket, twisting until he found the arrival alarm and set it off. Around them, a loud, _burp! burp! burp!_ resounded accompanied by red lights flashing overhead. R2-D2 reclaimed his metal arm and turned, watching BB-8 rolled towards the biggest available landing site, anticipating the arrival of Chewbacca's big freighter.

R2-D2 moved to join BB-8, glancing back at the sky for more ships. A shocked beep escaped him when he realized that the freighter was alone, something that should not have happened. Something went wrong, he knew it.

The cargo ramp lowered, revealing a solitary Wookiee before an empty space, unaccompanied.

What happened? BB-8 asked in a series of panicked beeping. Where's Poe? Where are the Rebels? Did something bad happen? Where are they?

Chewbacca barked at him, sending the small droid rolling back with fear.

What happened? R2-D2 asked, moving to stop him.

Chewbacca moaned, They were attacked. The First Order was there, it was a setup.

Bright lights from the Rebel base flashed on, flooding them with sight as running feet began tapping on the pavement.

"What is it?" The voice of a commanding biped called. "Where are the others?"

Chewbacca moaned again, retelling this latest tale of woe as D'Acy shot into view. BB-8 turned to R2-D2, waiting for the command to be given.

"Right," D'Acy nodded, her face settling with dissatisfied calm. She turned her heel, facing the Rebels that ran out to her, including Maz Kanata. "Command has fallen. Initiate withdrawal protocol immediately." She looked to Maz, the small alien setting her jaw, her body ready to react. "We were never here."

"Got it," Maz agreed. Upon her back, she wore a junior sized jet pack, perfect for her small frame. At once, she tapped her bracelet, causing an ignition in the jet pack, and blasted off, steering herself in the direction of the fallen _Vulture_.

Suddenly, a screaming missile soared overhead and exploded inches from the cluster of ships, causing BB-8 to flinch. Immediately, he and R2-D2 whirled to the skies, seeing fast moving lights race across the night sky, pursued by other lights.

R2-D2 wobbled on his two dominant legs, worried. Chewbacca roared, calling the droids' attention. To the _Rising Dawn_ , he commanded.

Pilots, fully awake now, rushed out of the rebel base and hurtled towards their ships, the crew of the _Rising Dawn_ picking up what essentials needed to be taken into the otherwise prepared ship.

It was an old vessel, part Mon Calimari class B cruiser and part Old Empire TIE cruiser, but it worked and could serve as the Rebels' command center. R2-D2 cleared the entrance ramp and immediately took off to his designated post on the command bridge, ready to power the ship and order the other astromechs to keep the ship afloat. BB-8 stayed with the cargo hold, securing valuable crates of supplies so that he wouldn't have to fix their destruction from skidding across the floor. Especially if Poe was flying them.

The last thing BB-8 saw before the ramp was sealed, was the night sky igniting in a curtain of orange as Maz Kanata, a tiny speck of shooting yellow, detonated the hundreds of bombs placed in the interior of the fallen dreadnought, its secrets secured in the hull of the _Rising Dawn._

SWSWSW

Rey watched as the same BB droid rolled into the room to examine her. She hadn't seen another living soul enter for several hours since she awoke and found herself to be once again strapped to an interrogation chair in some detention room. Perhaps Ben was torturing her with his silence, she didn't know. She could feel his presence was close by -there was no mistaking that beacon of conflict and darkness in the Force- but he had yet to grace her with his presence.

The black BB droid narrowed it's red eye at her, rolled to her right, then to her left. It reminded her of BB-8, a wicked little clone of such a good little droid. It paused, determined that she had not become a threat since the last time it visited her.

Rey leaned forward as best she could. "Where am I?" She asked, her voice soft in the hope that it would tell her something.

The BB droid beeped harshly. Rebel Scum, it said.

Rey's face fell, and she latched onto the Force. Such a busy, anxious vessel she was on, and such a hard programmed droid. Ben was clearly not taking chances with her. "You will tell me where I am."

The BB droid twitched it's head, the glowing red and yellow dots blinking furiously. It was conflicted, fighting against it's master's programming to answer her.

Rey inhaled deeply, the Force warning her against pressuring the droid any further. "You will tell me where I am."

A thin waft of smoke slithered from beneath it's head, then with a _think!_ the head shot off, banging off the roof and clattering to the floor, prompting Rey to jolt in her confinement.

She cringed, "Sorry."

The ball base rolled to the wall behind it in listless reply.

She sighed, leaning her head back onto the head rest of her stretcher prison. She was on a ship, hours of tuning in to the Force had told her that. But what she couldn't figure out was why Ben was keeping her here? Punishment, no doubt. She couldn't forget that face, that same face shown to her on two occasions. The face of hope lost. Perhaps he was going to negotiate for her? Her life for… what? Surrender of a system? Surrender of the entire Resistance? That was futile and Ben would surely know it. Hope could not be squashed so easily.

She pulled against her wrist restraints, not to escape but to keep her mind off the memory of Ben's face before he hid it behind Kylo's mask. His hope had been shattered, obliterated. He wanted her to join him, to prove that he was not alone in the galaxy. That he could have a loving family found with her…

Rey's ears pricked at a sound and she stopped her pulling, commanding her body to be calm to determine what it was. People were talking outside, although after a few moments it was more like one person was barking and a Storm Trooper was reluctantly complying. Rey leaned forward, the restraints pulling against her chest. She sent the Force out to the speakers, willing, hoping… It wasn't Ben outside, but someone with authority it seemed.

The doors opened and a single man with red hair walked in, his face pinched in sour frustration. He took his time appraising her with his eyes, taking in every bolt of containment before a sly little smirk blossomed on his lips. "So, this is the infamous rebel girl that has been the cause of so many headaches," He taunted, eyes searching her restrained body for answers.

"Where am I?" Rey demanded, latching onto the Force for any information she could gain.

General Hux, commander of the fleet, keeper of the First Order. He was tense, he had just come from an argument. Who was he arguing with?

Rey blinked, he had been speaking to her while she searched.

"Your modest little fleet won't stand a chance against a power such as this. You are maggots, feasting upon a piece of rotten flesh and your time is running out-"

"Where is Kylo Ren?" Rey interrupted, raising her eyebrow.

Hux set his jaw, face matching his hair. "The Supreme Leader is the least of your worries, girl! You are on _my_ vessel, you are _my_ prisoner. And I, shall deal with you as I feel fit."

It was Rey's turn to smirk, "Your prisoner? You were the man in the mask who knocked me out? You carried me onto this ship? Put me in these binds?" His jaw set with indignation and Rey smiled, "Ah, no you didn't. So, I'm Kylo Ren's prisoner and… who are you exactly?"

He took a step forward, "I am General Hux of the First Order, and who are you but the girl who murdered Supreme Leader Snoke! You should be tried for murder and conspiracy to commit murder against the First Order!"

Rey balled her fists and she shot against her restraints. "I didn't murder anyone!" Her voice echoed in the room.

"You cut the former supreme leader in half with a lightsaber, then fought off Kylo Ren and the Praetorian Guards before escaping." Hux told her, eyes narrowing.

Rey scoffed, "All by myself? You really think that I could have fought off Kylo Ren let alone Snoke's guards, by myself? With all of them attacking me at the same time?"

Hux leaned away slightly, eyes twitching with thought. "K-Kylo Ren came later. He felt a disturbance-"

" _Kylo Ren_ killed Snoke!" Rey told him, "He helped me fight the guards-"

"Why?" Hux breathed, looking at her feet as he thought. "Why would he do that?'

Dread filled Rey's stomach as the metal binds chafed her wrists, pushing it's way from her core to her throat. Ben's offer, given immediately after the fight. That black gloved hand extended to her, those begging eyes. That whispered "please."

Hux looked at her, eyes wide, and gave a single chuckle. "Supreme Leader Kylo Ren, terror of the galaxy… is in love." He chuckled more as he looked around, "He has been chasing a rebel girl from nowhere, because he feels _compassion_."

Rey flicked her eyes to Hux's blaster fastened to his belt, then back to him. "Maybe at one time." She told him, willing herself to downplay her error. "Now he hates me. He wants me dead."

"But he has you, doesn't he?" Hux laughed softly. He spread his arms, looking around at the detainment room, the smell of the deceased droid wafting over them. "You're _his_ prisoner. Why hasn't he just killed you?"

Rey swallowed, her heart beginning to pound faster. What was he thinking? She grabbed the Force, searching frantically for a way to hear his thoughts.

"No answer?" Hux smiled, sending her feelings plunging towards alarm. He reached up and took his blaster from his belt. "Well, then, let me simplify matters." He pointed it at her, the Force screaming danger, this wasn't a man to make idle threats. "Kylo Ren's emotions have made him weak. He has turned my army into nothing more than a joke to gain a girl who would sooner see my cause destroyed than help him preserve it. So, I will rid of you now, and while that pathetic wretch is pining over your loss, I will take the First Order back to it's original purpose and slaughter those who stand in my way!"

Rey narrowed her eyes, the Force a whip in her hands. Hux's body straightened, his arm slapping to his side as his eyes widened with alarm, moving rapidly around as he felt his restraint.

Rey's voice was so calm, the recesses of her mind were surprised when she hissed, "What are you going to do to him?"

The Force tightened around Hux's body, releasing his jaw to let him stammer, "I-I am going to kill Supreme Leader Ren as he pines over your body."

Rey inhaled, chest heaving. She opened her lips, the words "You will not touch Ben Solo" etched into her mind so hard that her head hurt. But, she hesitated. If she would command Hux, she would only stop one person from hurting Ben. There would be others after him, an entire chain of command. And she was helpless at present.

She tightened the Force around Hux, then released it, letting him double over with a sigh of relief. Hux clutched his middle, inhaling sharply.

"You, you tried to kill me!" He exclaimed, looking at her.

Rey slumped in her chair, doing her best to feel exhausted. She forced a pant, channeling her days on Jakku in search of a clean water source. Feebly, she yanked against her arm restraints. "Don't you dare hurt Kylo Ren!" She cried, twisting and willing him to believe her. "I won't let you!"

Hux stood tall, adjusting his grip on his blaster. "And who is going to stop me if you're dead?" He raised his blaster and fired.

A single beam of red light sliced through the room towards Rey. Rey lifted her fingers and the Force grabbed it, pausing the stream of light inches from her breasts. She gasped as her temples began pinching, this was not something she should do often. She cut her fingers through the air, turning the shot from the path of her chest to hit the restraints on her wrist. The metal splintered with a _BANG!_ Shards flying into a nearby light. Rey flinched, but instinctively thrust her hand out wide to bring the blaster towards her. It flew from Hux's hand and into hers, barrel first so that in the fumble to turn it around, Hux had backed away, tripping on the remains of the broken BB droid.

"Guards!" He yelled, scrambling to his feet. "Guards she's escaping!"

Rey pointed the blaster at Hux, but growled and turned it instead on the control panel and fired. The restraints snapped open, permitting Rey to fall forward onto the floor in a pained heap.

 _Please Review!_


	8. Chapter 8

_Prepare yourselves!_

Chapter 8

Kylo made his way to the throne room after having seen Koita Mathe off on his designated TIE fighter, the promise of sending Rey to the _Nest_ weighing heavily on his thoughts. Would she allow herself to become a Knight of Ren? Or would she deceive him once more? She was good, a blind man could see that, but she was undisciplined and regularly unbalanced, letting her emotions overtake good judgement. A proper teacher would fix that within a month of dedicated study, and yes, she would make a magnificent apprentice. Perhaps even the Supreme Leader the First Order truly needed. Perhaps even a wife…

He pushed the latter thought from his mind. He couldn't think that way, he wouldn't! Loving Rey was to invite disappointment to return to his life which currently, he had none of due to his lack of expectations from Hux. He moved, flanked by two Special Forces Storm Troopers, back to the throne room, where he could refocus on gathering the security plans for the Central Systems and his delicate new capitol.

A Storm Trooper moved quickly through the throng of officers and other Troopers, her thoughts greatly troubled. Kylo frowned, watching as two officers raised their arms to stop her, demanding a reason for her haste.

"I must speak with the Supreme Leader, urgently!" She told them.

"Tell us why you need to speak to the Supreme Leader, corporal," An officer growled.

Kylo lengthened his stride to the Storm Trooper, his guard rushing faster to announce, "Supreme Leader on deck!"

The officers whirled around and clicked their heels together at attention, Kylo ignored them. "What do you have to tell me?" He asked, looking to the Storm Trooper.

The officers parted to let her march forward. "Sir, it was my understanding that upon your instructions no one was to interrogate the prisoner from Naboo other than yourself."

A block of ice fell into Kylo's stomach. "That would be correct, corporal."

The Storm Trooper hesitated, fear twitching her armor. "Sir, it is my obligation to inform you that General Hux relieved me of my duty of guarding her."

"What?!" Kylo boomed, his voice echoing throughout the corridor. "Why did he do that?"

The officers flinched, their eyes looking to where they could run immediately following this encounter.

"General Hux did not give an explanation, sir, other than -I quote him- 'This is my ship and I shall see whomever I please whenever I see fit.'"

His lightsaber slapped into his hand the moment an alarm resounded overhead, halting all movement on the corridor.

"Prisoner breach, sir." Kylo's left guard told him, finger pressing to his commlink. "On the detention level."

Kylo inhaled, and closed his eyes. "I want, every, Storm Trooper, droid, and officer, looking through this ship, until she's found."

He opened his eyes and ignited his lightsaber, scattering every Storm Trooper in his immediate vicinity as he marched to the turbolift, opened the doors with the Force, jumped to grab a cable, and cut the adjacent one sending him flying though the tube. He shot his free hand out, opening the doors to a level where he felt Rey's presence, and used the Force to propel himself out into a perfect roll.

He thrust his head back, whipping his hair from his face, and rose. He turned to his right, finding the moaning remains of a Storm Trooper. He stalked to him, staring him down with utter disdain. "What happened?" He asked, his calm voice silencing the Storm Trooper's moans.

"The prisoner," The Storm Trooper whimpered, "She ran that way." He pointed down the corridor.

Kylo moved his eyes to look where the bloodied arm was gesturing, then turned back to the Storm Trooper. He raised the hilt of his lightsaber to the wounded soldier's helmet, and ignited it.

SWSWSW

Rey tiptoed as fast as she could, arms outstretched, as she moved over a black metal tube beneath the detention floor, moving in the direction her lightsaber called to her. Though her heart was pounding, she forced her breathing to be even. The last thing she needed was to plunge to who knew where and for who knew how long so that Ben could have the perfect excuse to find her and drag her back to that awful chair with that little confident smirk of his. That is, if General Hux didn't shoot her on sight.

How was she to warn Ben of Hux's plan? How was she to convince him that there was a plot among his trusted command to tear him down? She shook her head, moving to a more even platform, she would think of that later. How was she to get off this ship? It wasn't like Star Killer Base that had been so massive she could get away relatively unscathed. This ship was smaller, and Ben knew not to underestimate her this time. The _Falcon_ is here, She thought, But will it be available or flyable?

An invisible pull latched on to her chest and pulled, drawing her attention above her. It was her lightsaber, she could feel someone moving it. Rey hopped over tubes to land on a maintenance platform and climbed the small ladder leading to a hatch. Slowly, she lifted the lid, grateful to the maintenance workers for keeping the hinges oiled, and looked out into the world above.

It was a conference room of some sort, but no one was conferring at the moment. Rey lifted the hatch higher, and stuck her whole head out, looking left and right for any signs of life. Nothing. Not even a sound. Careful not to make any noise, Rey climbed out of the hatch, leaving the lid open in case she needed a quick escape. The Force warned her of danger, but she shook her head. As long as she was on this ship, she was in danger.

She dusted her hands and looked around, taking in the long black table, the modest matte black chairs around it, and the black and white design that appeared to be standard on all First Order walls. She frowned, though, when she looked upon the conference table and instead of seeing a nice floral arrangement or even battle strategies and flat holopads, was her lightsaber, lying out in the open for all to see. She stepped forward, frown deepening. Perhaps someone thought that it was far enough away from her like this?

"You really need a teacher." A deep, monotone voice sighed behind her.

Before her mind could process what her body was doing, the lightsaber was in her hand, the heat from the cracked side was searing her palm, and the sputtering, hissing blue connected with an equally rabid crimson streak, the light flickering in Kylo Ren's eyes.

SWSWSW

Finn inhaled as those who had flown aboard the _Raven Starr_ left the transport that shuttled them to the _Rising Dawn_ , the Rebels welcoming them with much needed medical supplies and emotional support. Among them, BB-8 pushed his way through, rolling to Poe with excited squeals and jabbers in droidspeak at the sight of both Poe and his wound.

"Yeah, buddy, I'm alright." Poe wheezed, his face pale but smiling.

"Heck of a few days, huh?"

Finn turned to see Rose standing next to him, her face somber, but relieved. Finn nodded, "Yeah, it was."

"For them, too," She jutted her chin to the Rebels as they moved in a never ending cacophony of determined anxiety.

"What do you mean?" Finn frowned, glancing at the Rebels.

"Transmission came in shortly before we came out of hyperdrive, they were hit by the First Order on Takodana. Took out only a quarter of the fleet because Chewbacca sounded the alarm."

Finn shook his head and sighed, "What were they trying to get at? First Leia's funeral, then Takodana? I mean, come on!"

Rose cocked her head to the right, "I know. But, at least you had enough of a distraction to…" She trailed off, her eyes moving from his face to stare into a calculating void that rendered her body rigid.

Finn raised his eyebrow, "Rose?"

"A distraction…" She breathed, still looking in the direction of his shoulder. Suddenly, her eyes flicked to his. "Finn, what if Kylo was there to distract us?"

Finn leaned away from her, "Okay… distract us from what, exactly?"

"The dreadnought," She told him, her mind calculating. "The one trying to destroy itself. The mysterious manifest."

Finn straightened, his mind racing to keep up with Rose's, but he couldn't. "What could be so important that the Supreme Leader himself would want to cause a distraction that much?"

They looked to each other, silent. Then, they turned and headed towards the captain's bridge, seeing Poe seated with BB-8, retelling their story to D'Acy as a medical droid worked on his arm.

"Poe," Finn breathed, nodding respectfully to D'Acy. "Colonel D'Acy, the encrypted files from the _Vulture_ , were they destroyed on Takodana?"

D'Acy shook her head, her curls fluttering with her movement. "Um, no. R2-D2 was able to copy them into his hard drive and upload it to an info stick. We don't know what for, we cannot read the thing."

"What are you getting at, Finn?" Poe asked, frowning.

Finn looked back to Rose, prompting her to step forward. "What if the funeral was not granted out of respect for General Organa?" She asked, "What if they only wanted a distraction to reclaim or destroy those files?"

"Right," Finn agreed, "Why would the Supreme Leader show himself to be so weak as to show compassion in front of his enemies? His killed his own father, and now all of a sudden he shows up to his mother's funeral?"

"Because Rey asked him to?" Poe countered, causing D'Acy's hand to fly to her throat in surprise. "But, I get your point." He turned to D'Acy and inhaled, "Try every encryption system we have to try and open those files."

"We'll ask Maz Kanata to help," Rose chirped. "She is better than trying to find a codebreaker."

SWSWSW

Finn watched as Maz's long orange fingers tapped away on the _Rising Dawn's_ keyboard, those fingers lifting every so often to adjust and then readjust her telescopic goggles. After nearly an hour of silence, Finn's head began to bob and his eyelids grew heavy.

"You're right!"

He jolted upright so fast he scraped his stomach against the counter, the movement startling R2-D2 who promptly swore at him with a sharp _BEEP!_

"What's right? How?" Finn asked, rubbing his stomach.

"About this file," Maz told him, climbing onto the chair to better climb onto the counter and press her nose against the flickering light. "This is very important. Too important for the First Order to lose."

"What's it say?" Finn asked, butterflies erupting in his stomach. "Is it battle strategies? Secret trade routes? Kylo Ren's secret diary?"

"I have no idea," Maz told him.

Finn stared at her, his bubble of hope burst completely. "You have no idea?"

"No," She looked at him, "That's a good thing. It means that they will do absolutely anything to get this file back." She lifted her goggles to peer meaningfully at him.

Finn smiled, the bubble refilling, "Even trade Rey for it."

SWSWSW

Ben was not going to back down an inch from this fight. Rey kicked his legs out from under him, but he merely rolled back onto them, his lightsaber flying back into his hand. She wiped her brow and clamored back to her feet, the heat of her lightsaber burning the blood seeping from her hand. He spun his lightsaber, prepared, and launched another barrage on her.

Rey ducked and swung her lightsaber, catching each of his blows, the buzzing and sputtering of each unstable blade whacking and sliding off of each other deafening in her ears. They moved from the conference room back out to the hallway, the echoing of their hissing blades shooting around them. He kicked her, and she staggered away, the absence of wind leaving her gasping.

He smirked, "You've gotten better." He stalked around her, waiting for her to recover. "You still need work. You should have taken my offer!" He spat blood and massaged his jaw where she had punched him.

Rey ignored him, concentrating on breathing. She smoothed her stomach, trying to remember the Force and how it could uplift her, but pain wracked her body. It wasn't just this latest blow; the tension was everywhere, especially her heart.

"It still stands, you know."

She stole a glance at him, watching him move like a panther in a cage.

"My offer. Join me and we can rule the galaxy together, create a new order. It still stands."

The Force whispered to her, taming her racing heart long enough to allow her to rise. He wasn't telling her the truth. He wasn't being true to her. He was deceiving her…

Rey drew herself up and stared at Ben in his full Dark glory. Suddenly, it struck her. He was not going to give in to the light, he had fought it for so long that he knew what came next. Heartbreak, loneliness, he was tired of feeling it. Correction: _they_ were tired of feeling it. It was his heart that was hurting hers, his pain that she felt within her body. There was nothing she could do with her lightsaber that would make him turn away from this kingdom he had built with his gloved, bloody hands.

She lifted her chin, and breathed, "Liar."

Rey moved her thumb and turned off her lightsaber, her hand thanking her for it though her ears rang. His eyes widened ever so minutely, but he stopped pacing and his chin dropped. He was ready for anything.

"I'm not going to fight you, Ben."

His chin lifted, his own lightsaber lowering a fraction.

"You have fought for so long," Rey told him. "You've fought the light, the darkness. You've fought to have your own thoughts instead of someone else's. I am not going to fight against you." She strode toward him, breath coming faster and faster churning her tears, "But I will always fight for you… even if you kill me."

Her arms shot out and her hands grabbed his collar and pulled his face to hers stopping only when her lips collided with his. She closed her eyes, determined to savor the feel of his plump lips upon hers just once before she died and to feel his body pressed against hers in love rather than hatred. For a solid minute, he didn't move an inch, didn't even seem to breathe. Suddenly, he flinched away, prompting her eyes to fly open.

Ben stood, eyes wider than she had ever seen them staring at her, the hissing and sputtering of his lightsaber the only noise that passed between them. She dropped her hands, heart hammering painfully against her breast. This was it, the end of her life. He moved his eyes from hers to her lips, then back again.

His lightsaber slid back into it's handle, and his free hand shot out to take her waist, the motion digging his cross saber hilt into her side. Rey's breath caught in her chest as his breath blew over her forehead, his perfect brown eyes unreadable. Han Solo had been this close to him in his final moments, had he been this frightened of dying? She closed her eyes slowly, then opened them, her chest heaving with fear. At least she would die in the arms of the-

He pressed the warm metal of his cross saber to her ear, his thumb tracing her chin. Ben arched her back and covered her lips with his. This time it was her eyes that widened, and her breath that stopped. Rey clutched his shoulders, holding on for dear life if only to feel his lips move with hers for just a second more. He pulled away, his eyelashes tangling with hers, lips hovering over their target for a moment. She inhaled, then closed the distance, once. Then twice. Then felt her eyes sealing shut to imagine him and only him. Ben agreed.

They kissed, long and passionately, forsaking time and chaos swirling about them. He adjusted his mouth over hers, hands moving to take her waist to pull her against his body as though he yearned even more to absorb her. Rey wrapped her arms around his neck, her stomach and limbs on fire as her feet dangled, barely grazing the floor.

"How… romantic."

The fire froze the moment their lips wrenched apart and her feet thudded back to the base floor. As one, they turned to see General Hux with what looked like an entire platoon of Storm Troopers behind him. He smirked at Ben, shooting ill feelings down Rey's spine.

"Supreme Leader Ren, you are hereby charged with treason and regicide against former Supreme Leader Snoke and condemned to death in the name of the First Order."

Ben looked down at Rey, his features firm. "You told Hux I killed Snoke?"

She cocked her eyebrow, "You blamed his death on me."

"Kill them both!" General Hux shouted, then backed away out of the room.

Before Rey could even blink, Ben hurtled her against the railing behind them and shot out his free hand, stopping dozens, if not hundreds of blaster shots aimed at them. The Storm Troopers stared, some even looking to their own weapons as a wall of shivering red stopped feet before Ben's hand. Rey gasped as she looked at him, feeling just how superior he was in his control of the Force… then noticed a line of deeper red dripping from his cloak.

She had wounded him, when had she done it? She thought back to their fight, but much of it was flashes of light and bursts of anger. Had it been recent and had it been a carefully placed shot or a careless one? She pushed aside the thought of his capability for fighting. Of course he could fight! He had her beside him. The question now became for how _long_ could he fight? As if in answer, the Force tugged at her, inviting Rey to look over the railing behind her. She turned, looking down at dozens of floors… then at the cream colored roof of the _Millennium Falcon._

The Storm Troopers stopped shooting, all of them either confused, afraid, or both. Ben merely bent his elbow, then shot it straight, sending the wall of red blasts back to their owners so that the platoon of white collapsed with smoke fuming upon their chests and bright black holes carved into their armor.

"Ben!" Rey shouted, prompting him to turn.

"Another platoon is on it's way," He told her, joining her. "They would have heard the noise if Hux…" He froze the moment he saw the _Millennium Falcon_. "You're not…"

She looked at him, "We are."

From behind, they heard the steady hum of feet pounding against the sterile floor, the mechanical voices of Storm Troopers calling to their command center about their fallen platoon. As one, Ben and Rey scrambled over the protection railing, teetering dangerously over the edge. Rey's stomach lurched, feeling the freefall before she even made it. She reached for Ben's hand, finding it reaching for hers. He slid his fingers into the gaps between hers, clutching it tightly as they turned to each other. She couldn't help but smile, he was all in with her, even unto death.

They leapt from the edge, Rey's innards flying to her ears as the levels of the black and white shot to grey all around her, the white of the _Millennium Falcon_ 's roof appearing more and more like a slab of marble. Her nails dug into Ben's glove, a desperate apology pressing onto her tongue but could not pass over her lips. She had killed him! She saved him, only to kill him!

Suddenly, their descent began to slow, the threat of smacking stomach first onto the ship's roof lessening. Then, feet away from landing, they stopped, floating spread eagle midair, Rey's heart humming in her ears. She looked up, seeing Ben with his arm pointed down at the ship, palm spread wide in use of the Force. He turned his face towards her, his head twitching. A thin line of blood seeped from his nose.

"Let go!" She shouted, bracing herself for impact.

He didn't hesitate. They dropped the last few feet, Rey turning herself in time to land on her feet before collapsing onto the roof. She fell on her hands and knees, the motion sending a knife-like pain through her right palm. Rey winced, but ignored it, head snapping to her dark flight mate. Ben panted, wincing and hissing as he clutched his forehead, his exhaustion and wounds becoming more evident the more he writhed before her. Rey gasped, brushing his hand with hers.

"Ben, come on," She urged, her voice breaking. "It can't end here."

He shuddered, he was very much spent and they knew it. A blast fired down at them, landing uncomfortably close to Rey's leg. She flinched, her lip curling back to snarl at the white goons positioned overhead. She grabbed her lightsaber and jumped to her feet, her need to protect Ben overcoming the fire that burned her hand. She swung her lightsaber, sending six blasts back to the Storm Troopers that fired them, killing them.

Ben hoisted himself to his feet beside her, using his gloved palm to smack his hurt forehead twice. He growled, shook his mane of ebony hair, and stood tall beside her.

"We have to get inside!" Rey screamed, watching a particularly clever Storm Trooper fire at her, then run to avoid getting shot by the blast she sent back to him.

Ben stomped on the roof until he found it, the roof escape hatch. He thrust his hand out to it, demanding the Force unlock it. A loud _shink!_ resounded and he grabbed the built in handle wrenching it open. He whirled around and grabbed Rey by the waist, nearly dragging her to hurtle her inside before grabbing the hatch handle and jumping in himself.

Rey scampered out of the way as the descent of black cloth and man flew at her, a smile smacking her lips. He knew more of the _Millennium Falcon_ than she did.

"You can fly this junk?" He asked, pulling himself to a standing position.

The smile drained. "This junk has outlasted you and your fleet, I'll have you know."

Ben looked at her, "Right."

He ignited his lightsaber and pushed Rey aside, in time to deflect three blasts from officers cataloging the ship. Ben rushed them, slaying them like cutting through rocks. He looked at Rey over his shoulder, "You fly, I shoot!"

Rey nodded, her chest compressing at the sight of him grabbing and dragging away dead bodies that had once been unyielding servants of his. She shook her head, focusing on the flight ahead. The First Order officers had done a number on the cockpit and smuggling corridor, opening and cataloguing the many drawers and smuggling holes on board. She kicked her way through the mess, plopping down into the captain's chair and began clicking on the necessary buttons to awaken the ancient freighter and activate the shields. From behind, she heard the distinctive _pew, pew!_ of more blasters firing followed by mechanic shouts. She touched a button for the ramp, sending the exhaust steam to seal them in, and prompting Ben to fly from his point of defense to the cockpit.

"How's it coming?" He breathed, the stench of sweat and blood secreting from him.

Rey held onto a particular button, one that would activate the shields and hyperdrive and reached with all her might to the opposite wall where the correct button lied taunting her. "Almost… got it."

"Rey," Ben breathed, calling her attention. He raised his eyebrow and moved two of his fingers in a half circle, activating all appropriate buttons.

The _Millennium Falcon_ burst to life, the shields activating and the hyperdrive powering up. Rey smiled, eyebrows rising with relief at the sight of digits on the hyperdrive panel. "Where are we going?"

Ben's nose began bleeding once more, he wiped it with the back of his hand and inhaled sharply. "Coordinates are in, just fly."

"Then you shoot!" Rey commanded, grabbing onto the steering wheel.

"On it," Ben told her, leaving the cockpit.

For the first time, Rey dared to look outside the main window, seeing a mass of Storm Troopers gather around the _Millennium Falcon_ , blasters pointed at them. The moment the ship lifted off the landing bay floor, the firing began.

"Any time, Ben!" Rey shouted.

An enormous blast fired from beneath the freighter, plowing through a cluster of Storm Troopers to hit a glowing beam of light towards the back of the hangar. The Storm Troopers fired on, their red blasts bouncing uncomfortably close to the _Millennium Falcon_ 's windshield. Over the din of the blasts, a siren blared, the heavy steel doors answering this cry by closing slowly.

Rey gasped, then shot the ship forward, prompting Storm Troopers to either jump out of the way or get run over as they rushed into clear, black space. A blue button beeped on the hyperdrive, and Rey slammed her palm down on it, sending a searing pain up her arm as the stars stretched before her, catapulting the _Millennium Falcon_ into a sea of blue and white.

She leaned back into the chair, clutching her bleeding hand to her chest. Her heart began to slow, her breath following suit. They were free!

Ben's heavy footsteps echoed throughout the corridors, causing Rey to turn; he was usually quiet. He appeared in the doorframe, his face taut with concern for her.

"You're bleeding," He breathed, his deep voice oddly comforting.

She looked at her hand upon her chest, realizing that she left a great reddish brown smear on it, then looked at him, "It's nothing."

He took one stride and sat at the co-pilot's chair. Quickly, he pulled off his gloves before taking her hand to look at her wound. "Does it hurt?" His honey brown eyes met hers.

She mashed her lips, warmth ebbing from his hand into her core, then shook her head. "Not really, not anymore."

"That would be your nerves dying." He told her, unwrapping her hand wrap. "You cannot use that lightsaber anymore. It can explode at any second and if you're holding it, it'll take your hands with it. This is only the beginning."

Rey watched his face react with upmost concern as the stained gauze fell away. He was annoyed, but more than that. It seemed to almost physically hurt him that she would be so careless with her wounds. A gasp caught in his chest and he started slightly, peering down at her limb prompting her to look to it, too. The gash had widened, if not deepened as well. His eyes shot to hers, a line creasing between his eyebrows. "Rey."

"I've needed to use my lightsaber, lately." She defended.

"Luke really didn't teach you anything, did he?"

"He showed me how to use the Force. I've used it to keep my hand from getting cut in half and for defeating the First Order."

Ben gave a small sigh and shook his head. Slowly, he turned her hand over and kissed her knuckles, careful to only hold her fingers. Butterflies erupted in Rey's stomach, threatening to choke the life out of her. It felt sublimely wonderful to feel his delicate lips against her skin, even in simple presses like this.

He pulled his face away and stood, switching to hold her good hand. "Come with me."

They moved, one behind the other, to the life support wing, Ben casting a forlorn glance at the fallen C-3PO before turning back to the task at hand. He moved Rey to sit on the padded bench, his movements still so gentle to her. He released her, taking instead the handle for the medical supplies and pulling the drawer open.

"I've used much of the gauze from that box," She told him as the drawer halted at it's usual foot and a half.

Ben ignored her, stepping back and frowning at the wall. Suddenly, he punched the wall once, moved downward to punch again, and turned in time to see the drawer pop out further. Rey started on the bench, watching him open the drawer a further two feet to reveal a hidden cache big enough for an original model, sphere shaped First Order surgical droid.

"I had no idea it did that," Rey told him, eyes wide as he pulled the droid from it's hiding place.

"It's a First Order Surgical droid," Ben told her, "It's illegal to remove their homing devices which," He turned the round droid upside down, "Is exactly what Han did." He flipped it around and peered at Rey from under his wild hair. "He always kept a surgical droid here in case he or Chewbacca was too wounded for regular first aid."

He fiddled with the buttons on the droid's face, prompting three red buttons to pulse four times before the droid levitated from his hands. "There we go," He breathed, dropping his hands to his sides.

Rey hesitated, then blurted, "How do you know where to find these things, Ben?"

He was silent, watching the droid power to life so intently that Rey began to wonder if he had heard her. He swallowed, "I learned every inch of this ship as a boy. Han was always leaving, so I thought that if I learned about the ship, I could be considered one of the 'experienced' crew he was always turning me down for."

"I'm so sorry, Ben." Rey told him, leaning forward.

He shrugged. "What have you to be sorry for?" He looked at her. "You needed a ship and Han trusted you."

Rey opened her mouth to say more, but the droid fluttered to life, rotating towards Ben. "Her first," He told it, raising a hand to his chest and pointing to Rey.

The droid rotated, a dozen or so lights upon it's face blinking rhythmically. It zoomed to levitate in front of her, shooting out a blue scanning beam over her body, going back and forth over her hand. The beam returned to the droid, and a small drawer opened beneath the main blinking lights. From this drawer, folded aluminum arms spread out before her, reminding her of a Jakku Arak spider that once tried to land on her face. Needles shot out of three of the arms and the droid squawked.

Your hand, please, it said.

She hesitated, but held out her wounded hand, resting it upon a side table palm side up. The droid hovered over it, one of the aluminum arms squirting bacta fluid into the gash, all remaining nerves screaming up her arm so that she flinched and bit her lip.

Ben crossed the distance and sat next to Rey, wrapping his arm around her waist. The proximity was soft, and comforting, exactly what she needed as the droid squirted and cut away the burnt flesh. Ben bent his head, his black hair sweeping Rey's arm, and he kissed her shoulder. Her breathing stopped, and she jolted, heart sputtering with uncertainty as she watched him. He ignored her, instead tracing her shoulder with his nose an inch, and kissed her again. She closed her eyes, her emotions teetering with pain and yearning. She lifted her head, her lashes fluttering at the sight of his face turning towards her, his eyes looking to her lips. They touched foreheads, their noses brushing for a moment before their lips met. Rey moved her free hand in an awkward reach to cup his hair against her, his other hand taking the side of her neck, stroking her earlobe as he kissed her. His lips were scratchy, but they knew how to move with hers in long, tender ebbs that simultaneously surged her heartbeat and cradled it.

Rey winced, pulling away from him. The droid had begun stitching her hand with speeding needles and thread, an arm rummaging through a long drawer in it's upper left side for sterile gauze. Ben moved his kisses from her lips to her neck, his hand taking her free one to grasp onto for this last portion.

The droid wove a bandage perfectly between her fingers, covering her hand like a fingerless glove with a perfect "v" shaped pattern. The aluminum arms folded into the drawer, leaving the droid a perfect sphere hovering before her.

Finished, it announced.

Ben lifted his head, waving the droid over. The scanning beam shot out again, halting when it came to Ben's side. The droid zoomed closer, beeping furiously before squawking, Please stand and remove your top garment.

Ben exhaled and obeyed, moving slowly from Rey's side to his feet. His cloak slid from his shoulders easily, but he hesitated when it came to his tunic. He pulled at the fastening hooks with a face contorted with pain, his teeth clenching as he moved and the smell of fresh blood wafting around him. Rey jumped to her feet and helped him pull the garment from his body, her body blazing as she moved. His body was beautiful to look at from where she stood; his muscles were still taut from the battle, and every so often his smooth surface was interrupted by a scar. He hissed, the sudden removal pulling what adhesive was keeping the blood flow from oozing forth. Ben slid down the high waist of his trousers to his hips and turned, revealing to Rey and the droid a cleaner cut about eight inches long and an inch wide down his back from just under the shoulder blade.

The sight of such a wound perverted the beauty that she had found, and sent a deep sense of revulsion into her stomach that almost made her want to vomit. "Did I do that to you?" Rey gasped, turning to him.

He smirked, "You've done far worse." He turned his face to show her the scar she gave him across his eye and down to his shoulder.

Her bottom lip quivered. He was in pain, deep pain, but the same charisma that could withstand the deepest insults still remained. She smiled at him, the fire within her chest blazing once again so that her shame began to dwindle.

The droid beeped to catch his attention, Raise your arms, please.

Ben lifted his arms and rested them on his head, his muscles tightening as he hummed discomfort, sending the droid to his back to begin working. Ben turned to Rey, his eyes melting just as they did moments earlier. Rey stepped forward, her fingers sliding over the moist muscles on his chest, her chin tilting upwards. He wrapped his elongated arms around her body, then swooped down and kissed her. Rey reached up and cupped his neck, opening her mouth wider so that her tongue could just barely brush his lips.

With a quick pull, Rey was arched back. He smelled of sweat and blood, and his kiss tasted of liquid warmth, but the moment her eyes fluttered shut, her thoughts obliterated, and the metal corridors of the ship melted away until she stood in a comforting darkness illuminated by him. In all her life, Rey had wanted to feel love. She had found a semblance of it with the Rebels, and with Finn, but this… Ben adjusted his mouth over hers, moving his hands to position her head in ways that could receive the most of his kisses with the tilt of his fingers. His kisses came faster, more desperate. His tongue touched hers, a heat emanating from his body that drew Rey closer, hungering for more, just more!

He wrenched his face away, his entire body constricting as he gritted his teeth. The droid stopped it's stitching, soft coos beeping rhythmically as an aluminum hand twisted and patted his head twice.

Your abrasion is deep, it told him. This will continue to be uncomfortable the more you move.

It withdrew the aluminum arm, then began stitching once more. Ben groaned and panted into Rey's forehead, searing the flesh, but she didn't care. She readjusted her grip upon his shoulders, pulling him close in a tight, almost uncomfortable, embrace.

"It's alright, Ben," She breathed into his ear. "You're safe here with me."

Ben held her tightly, his breathing coming in rhythm with hers. She closed her eyes, her heart finally finding a livable pulse, and exhaled.

 _Please Review!_


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Rey tapped her fingers over Ben's chest, willing herself to commit to memory his musky smell and firm silk skin upon her forehead. He breathed slowly, his breath cooling her hair, his heart beating gently. He was asleep, he had been for several hours. From his throat, a small cackle of snores purred over her, and his body slumped in total surrender around her. She had slept, too, knowing that in his arms after kissing him so intensely that there was no possibility of nightmares invading her peace. She looked again to her hand, watching her gauze glove rise and release with the movement of his chest, and smiled. Ben knew it, too, and so slept soundly perhaps for the first time in a very long time.

The buttons on the control panel beeped and Rey flicked her eyes to it, listening to the hum of hyperdrive for the right sound. She pressed her fingers into Ben's tunic and shook him, causing a start in his breathing.

"Ben, we're arriving on the coordinates," Rey breathed, shaking him harder as she sat up.

He twitched his head, face frowning. "Wha…?" He groaned.

"Where you sent us," She moved her head from his chin and stretched. "We're nearly there."

Ben blinked, sitting up and twisting his neck to where Rey could hear _pop, pop, pop_ on either turn. He nodded, swallowing and standing.

"Where did you send us?" Rey asked, joining him as he moved towards the pilot and copilot's seats.

Ben was silent for a moment, then he turned to her. He was wide awake, now, and an unease tensed his shoulders. He inhaled, "To the only home I've come to know."

He gestured to the pilot's seat, his hand ungloved. Rey took her seat, catching his tension as the hyperdrive beeped down to release them from the tunnel of blue and white streaks around them. Ben inhaled, looking to Rey. She looked at him, waiting, willing him to tell her where they were going and why.

A _bang!_ resounded from the back of the _Millennium Falcon_ , ripping Rey's attention from the cockpit to the bow. "What was that?"

"That would be a significant part of the thrust turbine breaking off." Ben told her, looking back with her. "I was wondering when that was going to happen."

Rey looked back to him, "You knew about it?"

He scoffed, "I had it done on Naboo. Old thing's stubborn."

"You hurt my ship?" Rey nearly screamed.

He looked at her, raising his eyebrow. "Technically it's my ship-"

"No! It's mine! Han made me his copilot and Chewbacca agreed!"

"The Wookiee can hardly speak!"

"He can, and he does!"

Ben smirked, "Is that why he's always screaming?"

Rey rolled her eyes and shot up her palms, "How long do we have until the ship breaks apart completely?"

"It's not going to break apart completely," Ben scoffed. "It's just going to stop working… hopefully."

Rey's eyes widened and her breathing sputtered, "Stop working while we are in hyperdrive will halt us in dead space, lightyears from our destination!"

"Clearly I've been wrong before." Ben told her, pointing to the hyperdrive indicator. It counted down five exact seconds before the streams of blue and white stars slowed dramatically to become specks of stars around a great brown star destroyer before their eyes.

"What is that?" Rey breathed.

"Preparing to land," Ben grunted, pushing the correct buttons.

Rey grabbed the controls, directing them closer to the star destroyer. The closer they got, the more she realized that it was an older space station with six or seven modern fighter jets hovering about it, their cannons pointed at the _Millennium Falcon_. Before Rey could reach for the commlink, Ben grabbed it and held it to his mouth.

"Hey!" She protested.

A muffled voice jabbered over the speaker, making her look at it. It wasn't a language that she had learned on Jakku.

Ben pressed the talking button and replied, speaking the same gibberish. Rey looked from him to the landing dock, seeing a wall fade to a rainbow-transparent field, making her face tighten with caution. This space station was only old on the outside.

"What are you waiting for?" Ben asked, his voice taut. "Go on in before the engine gives way."

Rey's feelings plummeted with every inch they neared the station, but she exhaled slowly and proceeded onward. The landing dock was immaculate, if scratched upon the floor a bit. It was also mysteriously empty, which promptly sent more ill feelings down Rey's spine.

"Where is everybody?" She asked.

Ben turned to her, "They don't come out until they know if there's a fight to be fought or not."

"How comforting," She scowled, tightening her grip on the controls.

"Hey," He breathed, the softness of his voice making her turn. He reached out, placing the back of his fingers on her leg so that she had no choice but to take it. His eyes gleamed and his lips parted, "I'll take care of you, I promise."

Rey nodded and turned back to the landing dock. The _Millennium Falcon_ had no sooner bumped into an uneasy landing when they heard a groan that definitely meant the thrust turbines had given their last breath and that they were now stuck on whatever ship Ben had brought them to.

"Where, are we?" Rey asked, turning to Ben. "Please tell me something."

He was tense, and looked at the station with mashed lips and steady breath. His fighting stance made whilst he sat next to her.

" _The Nest_ ," He whispered.

He tapped his heel against the floor twice, then stood. In one sweeping motion, he grabbed and donned his cloak, and moved to the exit, his movements clear that he wasn't going to say or do anything more.

Rey jumped from the pilot's seat and hurried after him, "Ben, what is this place?"

He whirled around, sending a plume of black garments fluttering about him, his eyes wide and his chest rose and fell with growing breaths.

"Don't call me that." He warned, "Not here, Rey. Please."

She blinked, leaning away. "Why? What is it? What's wrong? What is this place?"

He marched towards her and encircled her waist with his hands, pulling her close as his fingers dug into her, her own palms flying to his chest either in defense or in trust, she could not say. She could feel his heart race beneath her palm, however, and smelled his breath as it came in short bursts on the bridge of her nose.

"I don't know why you kissed me or why you suddenly decided to join me, I can think of that later. But I am asking you to trust me now." He traced her jawline with his thumb, his fingers were warm. "Don't tell them about the rebels, and don't call me 'Ben.' Has Poe taught you how to lie?"

Rey nodded, "Half truths and diversion."

"Good. And smile, don't forget to smile." He smirked, "You're on the arm of the Supreme Leader of the First Order, you should be overjoyed."

Rey snorted and shook her head. Ben smiled, then stepped away, breath coming heavier. Rey searched the Force, feeling for what exactly stirred him. Fear. For what? She fought a gasp when it hit her. He was afraid for her.

He slipped his hand into hers, fingers pushing hers apart as he kissed her forehead. "I'll protect you," He breathed, though Rey wondered as to whom he was assuring. "Let's go, they're waiting for us."

"Who is?" She asked as he pulled her along.

Ben said nothing, only continued forth to the loading bay door and released it. The metal door lowered in a mass of steam swirling the smell of burned wood around them. Rey had barely brushed Ben's arm with hers when a man stepped into the sightline of the doors; a big man dressed in black and silver robes with a mop of dirty blonde hair tied behind him in a ponytail. Peeking over his shoulder was a piece of silver metal that sent harsh feelings down Rey's spine.

Ben took a hesitant step forward down the ramp, his grip on Rey's hand tight. He nodded at the man, stopping as Rey cleared the ramp.

The man smirked, "Can I help you, sir?"

"My ship is damaged and needs some repairs and fuel. Do you mind if we see to both here?"

"Who do you think you are?" The man asked, looking him up and down. "Think you're some sort of emperor or something?"

Ben released Rey's hand as he swung his leg forward in a confident strut towards him. "As a matter of fact, I am."

The man didn't move. He stood hairline to hairline with Ben, and didn't waver an inch. Then, he smiled. "Welcome home, brother."

Rey stood stock still as Ben grinned and wrapped his arms around the man's shoulders, letting himself be hugged in return. They faced each other, both laughing and smiling.

"Missed you," Ben laughed.

"What? A bit lonely on your golden throne there, Kylo?" The man stepped back, looking him up and down, "You've grown since the last time I saw you. Little leaner, and from what I hear, a lot meaner."

"You still look the same," Ben smiled, looking the man up and down.

Rey tilted her head a quarter, squinting at the man's weapon as it turned halfway to her. It seemed like a sort of cannon blaster or gigantic axe. Knowing Ben, it was probably both. The man flicked his eyes to her the moment she moved, his face turning to fully absorb the sight of her. His smile was warm, something she would expect one of Poe's rapscallion acquaintances to give. The feeling of deep seeded malevolence that came with it, not so much.

"And who is this?"

Ben stood beside the man, both of them admiring Rey. She could not help but imagine the setting sun over the ocean, one bright, the other glassy black. "This is my… girlfriend, Rey. Rey, meet Fraja Ren."

"Hello," Rey replied, forcing herself to smile normally. Ren? She thought, _Girlfriend_?

"A real woman, Kylo?" Fraja asked, raising his eyebrows at Ben. "I was beginning to worry you were going to start giving droids the eye before long."

"Oh, shut up," Ben scoffed, pushing him away.

Rey joined him as Fraja stepped away and whistled to the rafters of the landing dock, giving Rey a second to think. Ben was so comfortable around this man! He smiled like he had always done so, joked and took ribs against him like they were water drops. But when he looked at her, she knew he wasn't right. Something disturbed her feelings about him and this joy. It wasn't… genuine. Not like Finn's happiness or even Poe's. He was faking it, putting on another show. An easier Kylo Ren.

Fraja whistled sharply once more, this time summoning six droids of various size and model to come soaring from their stations to the two black clad men. "See to Supreme Leader Kylo Ren's ship." Fraja commanded, "Only the finest for our emperor."

At once, the droids moved to the _Millennium Falcon_ , one particular square unit shooting out beams of blue scans to assess their project.

"Come inside," Fraja commanded, tearing Rey's attention away from the droids. "Some of the brothers are home. They'll be glad to see you and meet our future empress."

A cold shock went through Rey's body, but she said nothing. She only took Ben's arm with firm fingers and allowed him to lead her through the landing bay and into the bowels of the space station. He passed her a look, her breathing shaking at the thought of being called "empress." Quickly, he gave a half shrug and looked ahead to Fraja's cloak as the man led them on.

The first door led to a perfectly ordinary corridor of cement and lights, followed by another corridor of the same pattern, then another. Fraja moved with such ease through the cloned place that it was incredible that he knew his way around. Ben, too, seemed to know every inch of the ordinary grey corridors and moved with such ease even with Rey upon his arm. Rey looked around, noting the complete uniformity of the cement maze they wound through. If she were an intruder, she would easily get lost. That meant that this was a place of sanctuary, someplace to be protected.

Suddenly, Fraja turned towards a cement wall and lifted two fingers, the Force pushing it open. A rush of air blew the strands of his hair against his scalp for a moment before settling back onto his forehead. Rey smelled an array of flavors coming from the interior, a few of them actually good. But an overwhelming aroma smelled of metal… like blood.

"Ben, where are we?" Rey hissed at him.

He looked at her with a face like thunder, but Fraja turned to look at her. "Ren? You're going to have to be a bit more specific, lass. Welcome to _Nest_ , home to the Knights of Ren."

He disappeared through the door, allowing Ben to shoot her one last stern look before leading her along to the center of the space station. Rey took one step and gasped. She was used to immaculate Star Destroyers with clean halls and floors and uniformly dressed officers and Storm Troopers. But, on this vessel, beyond the maze, it was a commune held up by pillars of cement dotted with hundreds of fluorescent orange lights. In each level, Rey could see dozens of activities from women washing garments, to teenagers practicing swordsmanship under the guidance of several men and humanoids similarly dressed in black robes as Fraja and Ben. They moved left along a railing that looked down to a pit painted yellow of what looked like a combat arena divided into four, where in one quadrant children held red lightsabers and wore helmets that covered their eyes, small floating droids shooting small powered lasers at them that they then had to deflect. In another quadrant, elder children climbed through and over a series of obstacles while across from them, children and teenagers practiced sword techniques with a tall woman in black and silver robes. In the last quadrant, three men sat cross-legged in the position of meditation, completely unaware of the activity around them.

They passed by walled off sections of what Rey assumed to be family apartments, descending four ramps and two sets of stairs before they came to an area that seemed to be the common area filled with the most people Rey had seen yet. There were at least three kitchens with eating tables and couches splayed out in front of them, countless areas where teenagers were studying in partners, and even a nursery where the smallest children toddled about with women hovering over them. Of course, none of them were in their natural modes of routine and relaxation when Fraja arrived.

"Make way for the Supreme Leader!" He shouted to the diners at the first kitchen, "Rise up! Rise up!"

Everyone, men, women, even the children, jumped to their feet and snapped to a perfect attention. One boy, a blue skinned creature with platinum blond hair dropped to his knee and bowed his head before taking off to the other rooms, shouting to all of it's inhabitants of the new arrival.

"How many people live here?" Rey asked Ben as they neared the nursery. He wet his lips and repeated the question to Fraja.

"Just under a thousand," Fraja answered over his shoulder, making eye contact with Rey.

"And how many brothers?" Ben asked, looking to a toddler in a homespun dress as it rushed to stand in front of the party.

Fraja stopped, watching a teenage girl only a few years younger than Rey bolt towards the toddler, seize her under the armpits, and swung her onto her hip, the motion causing the toy in the little one's hands to fall. Rey stepped around Fraja and picked up the toy, a knitted starfish, and held it up to the toddler. She took it with small, uncertain hands, and pulled it close. Rey smiled to the teenager, a red head with freckles on her nose, prompting the girl to smile anxiously and bow. "My lady," She told Rey, not daring to look at her again.

Rey watched the girl, confusion settling over her. She turned to the other women in the nursery, seeing that they, too, avoided her gaze and held the children close where they might not cross the path of the new guests to their otherwise communal home.

"Rey," Ben muttered, stroking her arm gently.

She turned back to him, the truth rushing over her as she looked over him. He stood tall, taller than his usual, and his chest puffed with an importance that she hadn't seen since they first met on Star Killer Base. He was the Supreme Leader of the First Order, the strongest warrior of the Knights of Ren. To these people, he was more than a man, he was their god.

He took her hand in a gentle grasp, his face soft only for her. He shot a look to Fraja, more of an irritated twitch than a command, and the big man bowed his head in quiet acknowledgement. Then he turned his heel, and continued leading them through the commune.

"Where are we going?" Rey hissed to Ben.

"Emperor's quarters," He muttered. "Fraja's probably giving them time to open up the place and give it a once over. It's been closed since the last time I was here."

"Aye, indeed!" Fraja called over his shoulder. "You take too long to join us, Kylo. We've almost forgotten what you look like."

Ben smirked and shook his head.

"When was the last time you were here?" Rey asked, allowing her voice to return to normal.

"Just before I heard about the map to Luke Skywalker," He answered, his smile fading.

Just before you met me, Rey thought looking around.

Everywhere she looked, people lined the walking path and bowed before them. Even to Rey herself, she noticed. The few young ones who made eye contact with her looked away suddenly, bowing deeper until she had passed. She lifted her chin a bit higher, a cold shiver settling into the pit of her stomach. She was an empress now, and the firmer she clutched Ben's hand, the more these people were convinced of it.

Fraja led them up a ramp to a closed off apartment block with silver lights dotting the door, seeing a gray Twi'lek woman with black head tails hanging down to the back of her knees as she pulled that last of a line of black tape from the door and balled it in her hands.

"Serotti, love." Fraja called, prompting the woman to look up and rise to full height. Unlike the other inhabitants, Serotti merely bent her head in obeisance to Ben and Rey. However, much like Ben and Fraja, she wore black trimmed with silver and sported on a leather belt a silver lightsaber and a blaster.

She moved with elegance towards Fraja's outstretched hand, and kissed him with absolute familiarity. Fraja turned to Ben and Rey, his grin leaking into his eyes. "My wife, Serotti. Serotti, I don't believe you've met our Supreme Leader or his future empress."

This time, Serotti did bow. She swept her hand from her naval outward and bent her knees in a deep curtsy, dipping her chin whilst purring, "Supreme Leader Ren, a pleasure to welcome you home."

Ben gave a curt nod, "Sister."

Serotti rose and looked Rey square in the eye, "My lady, if it pleases you I shall serve as your lady-in-waiting and your guide whilst you remain with us here at _the Nest_."

Ben gripped Rey's hand so tightly all she could do was yelp, "Yes! That- that would um… please me greatly."

"Then will you please," Serotti gestured with an elegant palm towards the apartment doors. She turned to Ben, "Our brothers are waiting for you."

In a single motion, Fraja and Serotti took a door handle and opened it, revealing rooms of such grandeur that Rey gasped. The dark floor was lined with a burgundy carpet, and chandeliers of crystal and candles burned above them so that rainbows danced off the low black and burgundy furniture. The walls were painted burgundy and were interrupted by sprawling arches, raised silver designs spread across them which brought a delicate if somewhat primal beauty to the room.

"It's so beautiful," Rey breathed, inhaling the waft of rose incense as it danced from a nearby, delicate looking, silver burner.

"It can be comfortable," Ben told her, looking around.

"Is that our brother?" A voice called from one of the rooms off to the right. Ben and Rey turned in time to see a tall man with neatly trimmed curling blond hair and blue eyes walk in, also wearing jet black robes lined with silver. He saw Ben, and a smile lit his face, "Kylo! Welcome home, brother."

Rey stood in shock as Ben crossed the floor and embraced this man with a firm hug, each patting the other's back. It was not a sight she thought she would get used to.

"Glad you're home, Kylo." The man smiled, stepping away from Ben.

"It's good to be home, Koita." Ben grinned. He turned to Rey, and gestured to the man, "Koita Mathe, a true master of the Force."

"Learned it all from you, Kylo." Koita Mathe grinned. "Speaking of which, heads up."

They turned and saw six more men, all dressed in the same black and silver robes, emerge from the inner rooms of the apartment. All of them smiled when they saw Ben and all gave him hugs as warm as Koita Mathe. The only difference between these men is that they did not carry lightsabers, but blasters attached to different parts of their clothing, including belts, boots, and even strapped to one's back. Each man welcomed Ben, then nodded respectfully to Rey.

"This is Havarthan," Serotti's purr whispered to Rey from behind her right ear as a man with brown hair and green eyes bowed before her. "The one with the green complexion is Maa'qui Ren."

Romtao, Zakar, and Brunfa. All Knights of Ren. All who called Ben "brother."

"Brothers," Ben grinned, moving to stand by Rey, "This is Rey, your future empress."

At once, the men dropped to their knees and dipped their chins in obeisance. Rey shifted her weight, and looked uneasily to Ben. He didn't really expect her to sit well with this, did he? Ben looked down at her and nodded, then turned back to the kneeling knights.

"What, you'll bow to her and not to me?"

Fraja lifted his head, "To the woman who tamed the fiercest among us? Damn right we do!"

Laughter rippled through the men as their heads popped up. Serotti moved to Rey's side, catching her attention. She jerked her head slightly to the men, then to Rey and discreetly pumped her palm upwards. Rey turned to the men as they waited patiently for their command.

"Um, please rise."

As one, they rose, all casting a sympathetic look to Rey as Ben circled her waist with his arm. With his free hand, he motioned towards the furniture and the knights parted, allowing them to pass before joining them on the couches.

"So, Empress Rey," Fraja asked, seating himself across from Ben, "Tell us how you met Kylo."

Rey looked around as the knights settled themselves, each blending in well against the darkness of the room. Everyone except for her in blue and grey. Like a goldfish on black sand, Rey thought.

"Er, Kylo kidnapped me." She blurted, looking at him.

He chuckled, his smile warming her. "I remember. Outside of Maz Kanata's place."

"Romance and intrigue still on the menu at Maz's place?" Koita Mathe asked, his smile absolutely dashing. He sat on a footstool an arm's length away from Ben, reminding Rey so much of a spoiled lapdog. "I thought the only thing she had left was the booze."

The knights laughed, a stiffness settling into Rey's chest.

"Rey had a map to Luke Skywalker," Ben continued. "I was determined to get it from her. But," He smirked at Rey, "She clearly had other plans."

"Performance issues already, Kylo?" Havarthan chuckled.

"Shut up," Ben laughed, prompting the other knights to chortle as well. "No, Rey is strong with the Force."

"Is she?" Koita Mathe asked, eyes flicking to observe her more intently than he already had. "May I?" He asked, lifting his hand towards her.

"No, you may not." Ben answered, his eyes hardening.

Fraja smacked Koita Mathe's hand away, "Already trying to propose marriage to a stranger, Koita? Where are your manners?"

Koita Mathe pulled his hand close to his chest and rubbed it with the other, "Apologies, Empress." He told her, "It is difficult to find a kindred spirit."

Rey smiled at him, "Kylo and I are completely balanced. Through the Force we are each other's light and dark."

A thickness descended upon the room, so much so that Rey began to shiver. Beside her, Serotti shifted and looked to Fraja. Rey looked immediately to Ben, hoping, pleading for assurance of some kind. But his face was unreadable, and his grip upon her shoulders was tight.

"Does this mean that there is hope of one of us finally getting the jump on you, Kylo?" Brunfar asked, smile revealing perfectly white, pointed teeth.

Ben turned to him, "You wish, Brunfar."

The smile widened, further setting Rey on edge. "I wish you would prove it, brother. At least for the younglings' sake."

"Our Supreme Leader barely arrives home and you already want him to bloody himself?" Serotti demanded, looking at him.

Ben smirked, "Later, brother."

Brunfar had barely begun to open his mouth when the doors to the royal apartment opened and a boy of about ten years old bearing a silver hologram projector ran in, dropping to his knees with a harsh, _thud!_

"Masters, forgive me for running in, but I have important news." He told them.

"What is it, boy?" Fraja asked, leaning around Maa'qui.

The boy stood, his brown robes scuffed at knees, and set the projector on the floor before Ben and Fraja. He tapped twice on a button, causing a white light to rise straight from the middle of the projector and blink. The boy used the blinking time to scurry away from the projector and stood outside of the circle of knights, waiting patiently for it to begin.

The white light changed to a soft blue, then wavered sideways until the image of General Hux stood in his two foot glory, arms behind his back. Rey grinned at the sight of what appeared to be a cut cheek leading from the corner of his mouth down to his throat. That hadn't been there when he was threatening her, it must have happened in their escape.

"This message is intended for all major outposts of the First Order," The Hologram began, "This is to inform you, that sovereignty of the Empire of the First Order has changed once more."

"What is this?" Serotti glowered, her complexion darkening with such news.

Ben cut his arm across Rey's body, furthering the silence more as he leaned forward.

The small blue figure continued, "The First Order no longer serves under the command of Supreme Leader Kylo Ren or any apprentices associated with him. After an investigation into the murder of former Supreme Leader Snoke, it has been determined that Kylo Ren is indeed a traitor for he took from us the greatest leader the First Order has ever had the privilege of serving under!"

"There's only been two," Rey reminded him. Ben snorted.

"It is the decision of the First Order to change direction." General Hux declared, "It is time to move from empirical leadership to military dictatorship." The room save Ben shifted in their seats. "Through discipline and order we will prevail! Through-"

The projector blew up, sending scrap pieces of metal flying back towards the boy who brought it in, making the poor child flinch his hand out to stop the metal pieces midair. Rey inhaled sharply at the blast, heart hammering against her chest as she gripped Ben's arm across her legs, looking from the stoic man who protected her, to the man on his left who blew on his blaster.

"Huxy-boy is obviously mistaken," Koita Mathe breathed, then holstered his weapon.

Fraja leaned forward, almost kneeling onto the burgundy rug. "Shall we correct his error, Kylo?"

Ben exhaled, the motion sounding more like a growl, his chin lowering. Rey looked from the destroyed projector to him, her grip hurting her hands.

"We will wait," Ben answered, flicking his eyes to Fraja. "He will be expecting an attack from me, if not all of you." He looked around to the knights who sat on the edge of their seats, hungering for the word to strike. "Let him rest on his laurels, let him get comfortable. Then," He smirked, his face darkening, "I'll rip his heart from his chest myself!"

The knights released a series of cheers and war cries, Serotti even getting up to clasp hands with her husband before joining Rey's side once more. Rey smiled uneasily, releasing Ben as he reclaimed his hand. They looked at each other, the conflict that she saw years ago on Snoke's ship coming again to the surface. She longed to be alone with him, long to implore him to tell her his mind. But all she could do now, was reach up, and trace his jaw with her thumb.

A different cry of joy went out and Rey and Ben turned to the doors. Three women, all dressed in homespun dresses and wearing collars of gold, entered the room each carrying a tray of refreshment. The first woman knelt before Ben and Rey, showing them a clay pitcher and several multicolored glasses, all with an iced slush liquid poured out already.

"Mint, cucumber, and lemon water," She smiled, handing a glass to Rey and Ben.

"Thank you," Rey told her, taking her glass. Ben merely accepted his glass without a word.

Rey sipped, the flavors hitting her tongue and sending her back to Jakku where one day she had found the body of an alien near a rare beehive, a single honeycomb in it's metal cup. Rey had harvested the honey and dropped it into her canteen, letting it melt and drank until she felt like a drunkard in the pub on Neema Outpost. This drink was as intoxicating as that day, washing over her like the sea over a porous rock.

"It's delicious," She breathed, seeing her breath freeze before her for a moment.

"It's my favorite drink," Ben told her, sipping more as the woman rose to stand off to one side.

The next tray contained sweet sauces poured into crunchy pastry cups. "Chocolate, red salt caramel, and whisper berries," The woman grinned, pointing to each flavor. Her hand was severely scarred, but her smile was brilliantly crafted upon her face.

Rey grinned at her and the pastry cups, taking one for herself. "I've only ever heard of whisper berries,"

"Shh!" Ben hissed, his eyes glittering and the corners of his lips turning up, "It's a secret!"

Rey laughed and bit into the pastry, savoring the divine crunch on her ears and licorice and lavender combination slather upon her tongue. She closed her eyes, and leaned against the couch rest, "This is so good!" She cried.

Beside her, Ben chuckled, his movement pulling at her eyes to look at him. He watched her with soft eyes, even as he ate his pastry, reclining an arm on the top of the couch rest behind her so that his stomach almost brushed her arm, and his glass bottom brushed the top of her forehead. For a moment, Rey saw them in a sunlit room akin to this one, her own stomach a greatly rounded bulge. But, the warmth she felt emanating from Ben's core through his look and smile, that was such a reality that Rey did not want to wake from it. She wanted to be in this future right now, with Ben always by her side.

"My lady," Serotti's voice cooed, darkening the sun of Rey's vision until she saw Ben look away from her to the knights standing behind the couch and sipping on their drinks. Rey let out a soft exhale, her heart falling for a moment. She turned, Serotti's body turned completely towards Rey. "My lady," She murmured, "The servants have found a gown that is fitting for your size. If it would please you, we shall depart to give you proper rest for tonight?"

"What is tonight?" Rey asked, her finger flinching towards Ben.

Serotti smiled, giving Rey the distinct impression that Serotti was doing her best to not reply sharply or with sarcasm. "It is customary for the Knights of Ren to give their best to the Supreme Leader and his guests. Kylo has a set of dress robes for the occasion which Fraja is probably reminding him of now," She gestured with her eyebrows back to Ben, forcing Rey to turn.

Fraja was leaning close to Ben, whispering into his ear whilst Ben listened, his frame taut. His eyes flicked to Rey, his head twitching away from Fraja, the big man straightening when Ben asked, "Yes?"

Rey hesitated, her entire body begging her not to leave him alone. "Um, Serotti says that there is a dress for me to change into."

He nodded quickly, waving a dismissive hand.

The moment she stood, Ben flinched towards her, sending the room into silence once again. That's when she saw it, a moment of panic upon his face. He felt uneasy being separated from her, too, but couldn't say anything out loud. He cleared his throat and raised her hand to his lips, "Don't be away for too long, otherwise I won't recognize you." He kissed her knuckles, a feeling of warning ebbing up her arm so that she flashed a grin. He turned to the Knights behind him, "Our future empress is retiring to make herself ready for this evening."

SWSWSW

Watching Rey leave was undoubtedly one of the most difficult things Kylo had seen in a long time. It wasn't the physical departure that hurt him, it was the not knowing of what would happen when she left that frightened him. He had felt Fraja's unease the moment he stepped off the _Millennium Falcon_ , and even more so when he saw Koita Mathe, but they knew how to hide it well. The moment Rey left with Serotti, Kylo could feel it again, except it seeped through all five of the knights, instead of just one.

"Ladies," Koita Mathe purred, looking to the servants. "You may return to the kitchens."

Wordlessly, the women set their trays down on the elegant tables and glided out, eyes down. Kylo finished his drink, the refreshment welcome in such tension.

"We collected Faroh's body from Naboo," Fraja began, moving to his spot across from Kylo. "And saw to it that your mother's ashes were placed within your honorable grandmother's crypt."

"Thank you, Fraja." Kylo breathed.

"There was some question about Faroh's cause of death, however," Maa'qui added, gliding around Kylo's couch.

Immediately, Kylo stood, searching the Force for the true meaning of this gathering. The Force screamed danger, why didn't he hear it? That's right, he had. He just had to keep Rey safe and calm, and they had to separate the both of them. They were good, he had to give them that. He sent the Force over Fraja's thoughts, the movement making the big man shudder. They knew. They knew he had killed Faroh. Koita Mathe had found out the truth and had done his duty as a Knight and told his brothers. Like good knights, they had gathered, just those who know him, to kill him peacefully.

"If you're going to execute me," Kylo growled, he tore off his lightsaber and ignited it, "By all means, get it over with."

Frraja smiled sheepishly, "Well, that's where we have a dilemma, you see."

Kylo looked around, seeing none of the knights prepared for any sort of battle.

"We are not strong enough to defeat you, brother," Koita Mathe breathed.

"No, we're not." Fraja interjected, "Not now especially since your girlfriend as you called her is rumored to be just as strong as you and to have fought off Snoke's Praetorian Guard all by herself now."

Kylo looked at him, then doused his lightsaber. "So, what is this? Some way of telling me you are permitting me to be on the throne because I'm a Knight of Ren?"

"Yes," The Knights declared in unison.

"We've never had it so good before," Fraja continued. "This ship, our new recruits, the unlimited supplies, and not to mention our unquestioning assignments to keep us in ship-shape. We like you, Kylo, we really do."

"But?" Kylo demanded, looking to Koita Mathe.

Koita Mathe opened his lips, "We are willing to overlook the death of Faroh if you would honor your promise to overtake the First Order, and leave Rey to us to train."

Kylo straightened, inspiring a wicked grin to spread over Koita Mathe's face. "What?" He continued, "You think I couldn't tell? Former Supreme Leader Snoke made mention to me to keep an eye out for your equal in the light. She shows up and ever since she has been your opposite in every regard. Honestly, I don't know how the galaxy has survived the two of you."

"I'll train her," Kylo declared. "She trusts me, she won't be so easily convinced of any of you."

"You'll marry her, you mean?" Koita Mathe corrected, folding his arms. "You have feelings for the girl, we can all see it if not feel it."

"She won't come easily, not without the Resistance following her."

"What are you suggesting, Kylo?" Brunfar asked, shifting in his seat.

Kylo hesitated, taking a moment to unceremoniously shove Koita Mathe out of his head before looking back to Fraja and parted his lips.

SWSWSW

Rey shivered as the cosmetics servant dabbed her closed eyelids with cool powder and even cooler liquid. It was a welcome change to the brushing and pulling and pinning that she had done earlier to Rey's hair. In either case, Rey felt such an impersonal ease at such gentle hands operating over her. There was a moment when the servant took an untamed lock of hair and brushed it, that Rey remembered a woman with hair much like her own, stroking it with her fingers as though to take out tangles before winding it back into her signature three bun upstyle.

"You may look now, my lady," The servant cooed, the sound of clicking instruments and the smell of blueberries resonating before Rey.

Rey opened her eyes, in time to see the servant rise and leave her, only to be replaced by Serotti with a gown draped across her arms.

"How lovely," She beamed, her feelings genuine. "Supreme Leader Ren will be pleased."

"Has he brought many women back to _the Nest_?" Rey asked, though she doubted the answer would be in the affirmative.

"No, my lady." Serotti answered, laying the gown on Rey's bed. "He was far too busy with former Supreme Leader Snoke to take notice of women."

"And the Knights of Ren allow you to marry each other?"

"Not always," She looked at Rey, "But we may marry. That is what makes us superior to the Jedi," She said that last word like a cavity in her molar. "We may go to our spouses for emotional support and encouragement. They were stoic and without passion."

"Balance," Rey said, making the woman pause before continuing to smooth the gown. "Why do you not like that word?"

"There is no balance, there is only the Force." Serotti answered immediately, in a tone that reminded Rey of a chant.

"And those without the Force must conform to those with it?" Rey asked, lifting her eyebrow.

"Yes," Serotti faced her, her emotions completely sound. "The Force is Power, and through it, there is Victory. Through Victory, we are free."

Rey watched her, this woman who feigned servitude. She was a warrior of the worst kind, the ones ignorant Rebels dreamt of. She was the kind to seek blood not out of vengeance or meanness, but as a baptismal rite. Rey swallowed, the realization dawning that Serotti's service was not one of obligation, but of humility. She saw Rey as the one who would be the model of the Knights of Ren and of the First Order. Her queen, her empress, and it was an honor to be one step behind her.

Rey looked to her gown, and shivered. Why did Ben bring her here? Really bring her? Did he really have no other place to go or did he have something else in mind? Rey stood, wrapping her silk silver robe over her tighter in an attempt to not cry. Ben held her heart now, would he break it so soon?

SWSWSW

The Royal Suite's balcony overlooked the entire commune, including the terrace where supper was to be had. Swarming it were dozens of teenagers and younger adults, laying plates and cutlery, glasses and flowers over a long, brown wood table. They all had the same look, brown tunics and trousers with black cloaks, a long lovelock braid across their shoulders as though to display some sort of mark of honor.

No sooner had the apprentices finished laying down the dinnerware and stepped back to the position of attention than the Knights of Ren entered the dining area, dressed in fine, solid black silk shirts and cotton jackets that hung to their knees, heavy silver embroidery lining the jacket opening and continuing around the collar. They gathered together, each man appraising the other to ensure that not a single silver thread was out of place or even a lock of hair, and politely ribbed each other, waiting for their hosts.

Ben watched them from his post on Rey's balcony. He had not yet donned his jacket; having fiddled long enough with the heavy silver frog fastenings across his black shirt, he didn't feel an immediate want to cover himself. What he wanted was to talk to Rey. She had looked and felt so distressed at the thought of being called an empress, and indeed being treated like one. This was not a world she was used to or indeed could get used to. He had had the Knights, Storm Troopers, officers, and servants give him their bows and salutes for nearly ten years, she couldn't be expected to get used to it in ten minutes.

He looked around the parlor, a small sense of pride swelling to see that the architect for this suite had included some of his calligraphy on the raised silver design patterns. "Passion in pride. Pride in passion," The words read, though few knew that.

Slowly, he donned his leather gloves, looking over _the Nest_. This was not Rey's world. She was sunshine, and grass, oceans and tidepools. She did not belong here, and keeping her here would kill that beautiful spirit that he had come to love since the first moment she fought him. He took up his jacket and shoved his arms into it. Rey needed to be with him, his balance in the Force. If she didn't need to be with him, then he needed her. End of story, no further arguments. The Knights could rot in hell for thinking they could emotionally manipulate her like Snoke manipulated him.

Ben looked up, feeling Rey's presence enter the parlor led by Serotti. What he saw made his breathing sputter and his heart hammer against his chest so much so that he thought he was going to collapse. Serotti herself was clad in an elegant red and gold gown, two gold bracelets connected by a chain holding her tails together, but the beauty that followed her made Ben's heart jolt to a complete stop.

She stood in a black silk gown that brushed the floor, the same silk that covered her bust pulled to the side so that a generous portion of her naval was visible and her curved frame emphasized. Over her bare arms light, silver sleeves arched over her shoulders and draped until they kissed the floor. When she moved, Ben could see draped chains of diamond strands hold the gown together upon her bare back, peeking out from her hair that had been curled and pinned with hairpins that stuck out like ebony fingers with diamond eyes.

Ben took a sharp inhale, his lungs thanking him for it, and stepped forward. "Rey?" He breathed, staring at her face that had been touched by dark and glimmering cosmetics.

She smiled politely, looking quickly to Serotti before gliding to him and taking his hands, whispering, "I look ridiculous."

Ben took a step back and moved his head examining her up and down, smiling wide. "You should look ridiculous more often."

Her grin burst through reddening her cheeks.

Ben smiled, "Ah, there she is." Her eyes met his, "I thought Rey was gone for a minute."

She swallowed, "You look quite handsome yourself."

"Oh, this old thing?" He lifted the opening of his jacket with a casual hand, making her laugh. "Come on, supper is ready."

He lifted Rey's hand, and tucked it under his arm, taking one last long gaze into her eyes before looking forward and moving to follow Serotti.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Rey had never eaten meat. That is not to say she hadn't tried it before, in rations and the occasional egg. But meat, slaughtered from an animal, coated in seasoning and marinade, roasted over a spit of flame, carved, and plated before her, Rey had never tried it. That was until that supper with the Knights of Ren.

A wild boar, one that had been raised within the commune for the purpose of food, had been roasted and laid before them on a platter almost the size of the table itself, served with rice and vegetables from several planetary systems, also grown on _the Nest_. Ben, sitting at the ceremonial head, was the first to dig his fork into the boar and cut off a piece of meat, placing it gently onto Rey's plate. After that, it became a free for all with all the knights including Serotti digging in and serving themselves.

The food was certainly delicious! Seasoned with garlic, salt, basil, and sweet syrup, Rey found herself digging into the boar several times, and hoarding a small cluster of figs and whisper berries from Serotti as discreetly as possible. She was given a green wine that smelled like it would have been paired well with the meat, but Rey did not touch her glass. She could not bring herself to ignore Ben's words, "Your parents sold you off for drinking money," and so could not lift the golden goblet to her lips.

"There enough meat for you, Brunfar?" Ben asked at one instance, prompting Rey to look up from her plate to see the toothy knight twirling a leg of boar in his hands, meat wedged into every one of his pointed teeth.

The Knights let out a muffled chortle and looked to him. Brunfar grinned and held up his leg, "I'm eating before Koita's children barge in."

Rey turned to Koita Mathe, interested. "You have children, Koita Mathe?"

"How many does that make, now?" Ben asked, lifting his wine glass to his lips.

Koita Mathe looked away to the table, his face screwed in concentration. Finally, he turned to the teenage girl behind him who stepped forward immediately. "How many siblings do you have?"

"Fifteen, Master." She answered, then stepped back into place.

"Fifteen!" Rey exclaimed. "Goodness, how does your wife do it?"

"Oh, I'm not married, empress." Koita Mathe grinned.

Serotti set her fork down and turned to Rey. "The Knights of Ren are strict in the rules of marriage and fraternizing. One cannot fraternize unless one is married because any child born to the Knights of Ren is destined to become a knight himself. Koita Mathe is the exception to the rule because he adopts the orphaned children the First Order makes."

"It's his weird little device," Ben muttered loud enough for the table to hear.

"I respectfully disagree, sir." Koita Mathe replied, leaning back in his chair and lifting a hand back for his apprentice to take. Rey glanced at her face as she moved. She was emotionless, and meticulously obedient, letting her adopted father rub her hand with his thumb without skipping a breath. "I like children," Koita Mathe explained. "There is something about their innocence that fuels my feelings. Something about training them in the ways of the Knights of Ren and pledging their loyalty to the First Order. Hearing their small, insignificant protests to something so simple as baths and uniform dress against the greater grandeur of space and all the chaos that comes with it is so… appealing to me." He reclaimed his hand and shifted. "I don't think it weird but a perfect irony that among the heartbreak that we create, life and love can exist to guide further generations."

"No, you're just weird." Ben retorted. The diners laughed.

SWSWSW

Dinner concluded with much more lighthearted conversation, though Rey knew that they were deliberately keeping something from her. Perhaps they did not wish to confuse her with more of their order's ways, or because they simply didn't trust her, Rey could not say and after such a big meal, didn't exactly care. All she wanted to do, was spend more quality time with Ben, even if it was only just sitting on the same couch. Or fall asleep in his arms as her eyelids were starting to suggest.

But, what she wanted the most was for that one knight to keep his (or her) fingers off her brain and let her think for herself for a collected ten minutes! She felt them seep into her skull from across the table, gently rustling the folds of her thoughts for any information they could possibly take, before delicately retreating the way they came the second they realized that she was on to them. She tried at one instance to latch onto the bridge the Force created to try and determine who was trying to connect with her, but they had moved so fast and the knights themselves all took up an object of the table, a fork or a goblet, at the same time so she wasn't able to tell for certain.

When Ben took her arm to lead her from the dining patio back to the reception parlor, Rey wanted more than anything to complain to him what they were doing. But, as soon as he pressed her hand against his arm and side, she could tell that he, too, was being silently interrogated. He didn't gesture to her, he hardly even looked at her, but she could _feel_ the inner conflict of him pushing and blocking fingers rudely pressing into his thoughts.

"Oi, Koita!" Romtao called, looking over the balcony as the apprentices set to work cleaning the table. "Are those your brats down there?"

A heaviness descended over the parlor as Koita Mathe turned slowly towards Romtao. "Don't call my children 'brats.'" He growled, voice dropping.

Regardless, he moved to return to the balcony, and grinned. "Not mine, but younglings."

Rey seized her moment and turned to Ben, meeting his eyes the same time he moved to look at her. Suddenly, it was as if the galaxy made sense, like a hand sliding gently into another hand. Her legs pulled her forward until her nearly bare navel could feel the knotted frog fastenings of his shirt pressing against her. His eyes glittered as he peered down at her, his face lightening for the first time since they arrived on the ship, his adam's apple bobbing. He felt it, too.

Then, he swallowed, and their sun began to set. "As soon as the _Millennium Falcon_ is ready, I'm taking you from here." He whispered, his lips barely opening.

She had no problem with that, but those words were not what came out. "You don't want to stay?"

His eyes did a minute inspection of the room behind her and he shook his head so discreetly, no one noticed if they weren't paying close attention. "Not here," He answered, "Not with them."

His face came forward and he kissed her, the taste of boar and wine nothing compared to what the Force hit her with.

SWSWSW

 _Ben sits alone in the Royal Suite, his face wet. A knock resounds on the door and he wipes his face with the back of his hand. He leans against the headrest, almost crawling away from the door. The Knights of Ren enter, each carrying his clothes, mask, and lightsaber. Ben swallows, knowing. If he does not stand, if he does not return to Snoke, they will kill him. They gave him shelter, they gave him food, now he must fulfill his vows and return to his master._

 _Fraja holds out Ben's lightsaber, the first blood. His eyes sweep the knights, pleading with them. They stare back, their faces solid. Ben has no choice. He inhales, and stands. Then takes his lightsaber. Koita Mathe steps forward, Ben's mask in his hands. Ben stares at it, seeing his future. His only escape._

SWSWSW

Rey pulled away, her body freezing. Had he truly not known happiness in his entire adult life? Or had he only known betrayal and manipulation? She looked around at the elegant room they stood in, and longed for her lightsaber so that she could rip it to shreds. One place, just one place where he could feel safe! One place where he could be free to choose for himself!

Someone shouted and metal clattered, and Rey and Ben whirled toward the balcony only to find Romtao and Koita Mathe laughing and taunting someone over the edge.

"What's going on?" Ben asked, the corners of his mouth turning up.

"Brunfar didn't know the difference between a 'brat' and my children," Koita Mathe guffawed, "I threw him over to learn the difference."

Ben released Rey's hand and moved to their side, curiosity gravitating Rey towards them as well. Ben lifted his leg and rested it against the balcony barrier, leaning over the side. "Have you learned," He called, resting his arms on his knee, "Or shall I go down there and teach you myself?"

Brunfar issued a series of swear words in his native tongue that made Rey's mind soar with images of appropriate hand gestures. Ben shook his head and straightened, quickly shrugging off his jacket and hanging it over the side of the balcony.

"B- uh, Kylo?" Rey asked when he began unbuttoning his shirt.

He looked back at her and smirked. "The children look up to us," He told her, "They like to see what they could become someday."

With that, he opened his shirt and tossed it aside, revealing to the world his most recent injury, not yet healed, and jumped onto the balcony rail. Immediately Rey heard shouts of praise and excitement, propelling her from her post behind the action to the corner overlooking the fighting area. Dozens of children had gathered on the floor, lightsabers attached to their sides, and peered up at their Supreme Leader, watching him as he smirked and waited for Brunfar to join him in the same form of undress, lightsabers set aside.

"Children," Serotti sighed behind Rey, peering at the scene. "No matter how big they get, they still act the same."

The second Brunfar's silk shirt hit the floor, Ben was in midair and the children were hurtling towards the outer ring of the fighting floor, the men in meditation jolting from their stupor to clamor away. Ben hit the ground with surprising grace, catching Brunfar's leg as the Knight attempted a quick roundhouse kick, and flipped him back, sending the man into a crouch, baring his teeth at Ben like a wicked frog. Rey had barely blinked when Hvarthan, and Romtao, both stripped to their trousers, jumped the railing and landed behind Ben, Hvarthan bouncing six feet in the air with his fist outstretched.

Rey's first instinct was to rip off her dress and join Ben's side, but a gentle hand touched the small of her back and Koita Mathe leaned lazily on one arm on the balcony. "Easy, empress," He cooed, looking back at her and grinning. "It's them whom you should worry for, not Ben."

A lightning bolt shot through Rey's middle, her eyes widening, but he was right. Ben attacked a rushing Romtao, sending him into Brunfar and allowing them to stand in Hvarthan's landing path so that they were the recipients of the falling man. However, they simply rolled out of their agony and looked up in time to see Ben bolt to a rack of wooden weapons and grab a heavy staff. The Knights fanned out, Hvarthan taking up a wooden crossblade from a teenager as he passed. Ben stepped forward and twirled his staff in expert circles around either shoulder.

Hvarthan rushed him first, followed by Romtao, both were beaten back in a barrage of staff hits and punches, Ben receiving his fair share of kicks and jabs himself. Brunfar was the last, taking his time to stalk his prey, to memorize his patterns, so that when he attacked, Ben was taken aback and fell to the painted floor, a red welt blooming on his side.

"Not getting old on me, eh Kylo?" Brunfar taunted.

Ben kicked out his legs from under him, rolling to jab him with his elbow in the face before clawing to his feet, watching Hvarthan take up a whip of four chains about two feet long.

"They're good," Rey breathed, flexing her hands for a second.

Suddenly, her eyes met Koita Mathe's. His were an almost electric blue, and seemed to glitter when he studied her. He smirked, and cast a casual glance down at the fighters. "Yes, but they're not trying to kill each other. There's no fun in that."

A cool wave of the Force draped over her, and she remembered the black Knight from Naboo, the one who crossed in front of the _Millennium Falcon_ in his quest to ready himself to kill the rebels. The way Koita Mathe moved…

"Does Kylo have you and the other Knights as his personal guard?" She asked, looking over his lanky, tall frame.

Koita Mathe looked back at Rey and half smiled, "I was waiting to see when you would realize it."

She inhaled, her lip curling over her teeth as she spat, "You! You killed-"

"I did my job," He interrupted. He stood and turned his back to the fighting, leaning against the balcony, "We all," He looked over his shoulder in a meaningful glance to Ben, then looked back at Rey "Did our jobs."

Rey narrowed her eyes at him. He was trying to tell her something, she could feel him manipulating the Force around her, but it didn't penetrate her. Perhaps he was the intruder at dinner.

He looked her up and down, the feeling of admiration sweeping over her, followed by immense intrigue. "Will the Resistance do their jobs if Ben is apprehended?"

"Why do you call him 'Ben'?" Rey demanded, feeling the Force wrap around her like a friendly wind.

"I think the better question is why do _you_ call him Ben, Empress Rey?" He said those last two words like they were chocolate upon his tongue. "Do you hope he would abandon us for your pretty green island surrounded by water? Hmm? Shirk his responsibility as Master of the Knights of Ren for what? You?" He reached up and slid off his jacket, undoing the buttons on his shirt quickly.

"He did it before," Rey hissed, the Force tightening around her. "You know he did."

He pulled his shirt from his body, revealing to her a clean, muscled chest delicately brushed here and there with scars that sent her heart fluttering as she looked him over. He was beautiful, but so was a lightsaber, and she longed for her lightsaber.

"He did indeed," Koita Mathe smiled. "And I'm hoping he'll do it again."

"Why?" Rey demanded, the Force relaxing in her confusion.

But, Koita Mathe turned his back on her and hopped onto the railing, crouching and squinting at his prey, watching Ben punch Romtao so perfectly, the man refused to get up again.

"Why?" Rey demanded again, taking a step forward.

Koita Mathe didn't seem to move, but the Force that flicked Rey's brain like an annoying insect was quick and precise like she did not seem to matter. She straightened, but he had already descended into the arena.

Rey gripped the flat railing and glanced at Ben. He had been sufficiently warmed up, and looked upon Koita Mathe with determination. The Force called out to Rey, telling her that this was more than a mere show of force among men. This was a blatant challenge, an answer to her question. Somehow, she knew that if Ben was to turn away from the Knights of Ren, then it would be Koita Mathe who would serve his punishment, and would do so gladly.

Both men took up wooden swords, the children they entertained glued to the scene so that not even a torpedo could tear them away. As one, the men leapt forward, using quick feet to bounce first forward, then to the side, each time in a dizzying array of randomness. They swung their swords, meeting with a sudden and satisfying _clack!_ Then separated, Ben twirling his sword on either side of his body.

Koita Mathe struck when Ben wasn't watching, but Ben was prepared. They fought, swinging their swords like branches caught in a wild wind. Rey wanted to jump over the ledge of the balcony, dress be damned. Serotti shifted next to her, the Force speaking once again warning her against the Twi'lek woman. If she appeared to move to aid him, Serotti would prevent her. It had been her job since the moment Rey had stepped foot into the commune.

Ben punched Koita Mathe with his left hand, and pulled his stomach into his knee, making the knight sputter and gasp as Ben forced him onto his knees. As a last measure, Ben wrapped his lanky, muscular arm around Koita Mathe's neck and gripped his wrist with his free hand, leaving the knight squirming on his knees. Koita Mathe tapped his hand against Ben's bicep, but Ben did nothing, only move to where Rey could see his face, and he flashed his teeth at her, smiling.

Then he leaned in, and whispered into Koita Mathe's ear, wrenching him to peer up at Rey with a grunt heard around the commune. "Beg!"

The electric blue eyes of Koita Mathe rolled to Rey, and he extended his tapping hand to her, his lips forming a single word that couldn't be heard from this distance.

Rey felt her smile bloom from lips to her toes and scalded her innards like warm soup. She watched Koita Mathe struggle, almost feeling Ben's aching arms on her own. Then, she nodded to Ben.

He threw Koita Mathe down, a sputtering, sweating mess. He lifted two fingers to the air, a sign of finality, and the children immediately cheered, the apprentices rushing to their discarded masters.

Serotti shifted beside Rey. "And, just like that, they're adults."

Romtao walked beside Ben, massaging his aching limb from where Ben had whacked him with the wooden staff, grinning as Brunfar called out to him. Rey rushed through the parlor, determined to meet Ben at the royal suite's entrance. He moved at a decent pace, his body drenched in sweat and dotted with red splotches where bruises would certainly grow if not cared for immediately. As soon as he reached the ramp, he looked up and smirked at her, sending feelings down Rey's spine that that little smirk was made just for her.

Fraja let out a contented laugh, moving to stand beside Rey. "At least we're sure that the poor soul who gave you that pretty little number is resting in his grave, eh Kylo?" He gestured with a cocked eyebrow to Ben's scar across his eye.

Ben pointed to his face, "This one?"

"Yeah," Fraja grinned.

"I don't know Fraja," Ben halted before Rey, hands taking her waist and guiding her close, that familiar hungered look appearing on his features, "She looks pretty alive to me."

Silence ripped through the Knights of Ren, Fraja's confident smile fading to absolute shock as all eyes turned to Rey. She, however, ignored them and stroked his cheek, rubbing her thumb beneath his eye on the scar in question. Ben pulled her waist against his and slid his arms around her, her own arms gliding over his shoulders to wrap around his neck, that feeling of universal rightness sweeping over her once again.

Koita Mathe trudged up the ramp, massaging his neck with his hand, and looked up in time to see Ben holding Rey in such a warm embrace. From over Ben's shoulder, Rey could see him glare at her, the same hungered expression Ben had upon his features. On pure survival instinct, Rey could believe that he wanted her dead for disturbing the peace of their little world. But, the Force told her otherwise.

Koita Mathe shifted his gaze to someone behind Rey, and shook his head in discreet command, the feeling of danger so powerful in Rey's body she could almost reach out and take it. Ben tightened his grip on her waist, his nails almost clawing her. He had felt it, too. He faced her, his features extraordinarily calm in light of such rabid warriors surrounding them.

"Let's go to bed," He suggested softly, cupping her face.

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	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"Okay, say again? What is this squiggly crap?"

Rose exhaled, trying not to roll her eyes. "It's an encrypted file from the _Vulture_. The First Order tried destroying it when they almost suicided on Takodana, then bombed us."

"Exactly," Finn added, "Whatever this is, they want it bad enough to sacrifice their own dreadnoughts."

Poe nodded, "But we can't read it and they can?"

"Yeah. They have the correct code to decrypt it."

"And you want to give it back to them?"

"Yes," Finn declared firmly, setting his jaw. "In exchange for Rey."

Poe nodded, his face a frozen plate of expression. "Um, Finn, that's going to be a problem."

Rose's eyes flew to Finn as he leaned away. "What? What do you mean a problem?"

"We contacted the First Order almost immediately to acknowledge Rey's presence as a prisoner. They got back to us with word from Hux's office directly. I'll make the official announcement later, but there's been a change in leadership, bud."

"What do you mean, a change of leadership?" Rose asked frowning.

Poe turned to her, "Ren's out."

"What?" Finn and Rose exclaimed, nervous excitement fluttering through Rose's body.

"Apparently, he killed Snoke. Word wasn't much after that. But it's open season on the Knights of Ren, and a military dictatorship for the First Order systems."

Rose's heart sank. Military dictatorship? What would that mean for their poor territories?

"What does this mean for Rey?" Finn pressed.

"First Order had no record of Rey," Poe told him softly. "No record of any Resistance prisoners. For someone like Rey, they would flash it across the galaxy, even her execution if they had one. That's good though!" He added quickly, seeing Finn begin to squirm with panic, "They would give us word that she had been killed. No news is good news regarding Rey."

"But she's still out there!" Finn told him. "Shake the tree, tell them what we've got in exchange for Rey's life!" He shook the info stick in front of him.

"Finn, buddy, you have to trust me here," Poe told him, closing his hands around Finn's. "Rey is a survivor. She got away from Ren and the First Order many times before. She's out there, and she's going to make her way home. We just got to be ready for when she comes, alright?"

Finn inhaled deeply, then nodded. "Fine," He said stiffly, reclaiming his hands.

"Please don't do anything crazy," Poe asked, looking at Finn as though the moment he blinked, he was going to swan dive out of the _Rising Dawn_ in hope of finding Rey.

Finn simply looked at him, then walked away.

Poe looked to Rose, "He's going to do something crazy."

"Like what?" Rose asked, "It's not like he knows where she is."

"Trust me, stupid doesn't have to make sense. It just has to be done."

Rose nodded, then headed down the corridor where Finn had gone. Aside from stressed out pilots and other members of the Resistance, she couldn't find him. She sighed, then headed down towards the bowels of the ship, encountering less and less people as she descended. She didn't bother asking them if they'd seen Finn, she knew where he would be if he was, indeed, down here.

"Finn?" She called, reaching the escape pod bay.

There was a _clang!_ Followed by an, "Ow!" Before his face came into full view, from out of one of the escape pods. "He-hey, Rose."

"Going to trade the info stick for Rey's life, or were you just inspecting the pod again?"

Finn froze, his face the first of his body to move. "I just need to know she's safe, okay?"

"Rey frequently faces down the First Order single-handed and you're worried about _her?_ You're thinking of serving yourself up on a silver platter with a piece of metal that you can't even read." She shook her head, her chest tightening at the thought.

"Ren was gunning for her," Finn insisted, "You think he'll change his mind because he's out of favor with the First Order?"

Rose swallowed, looking away. "What is your deal with her?" She looked back to him. "Is she your girlfriend?"

"What? Rey? No! Why do you ask? Has Poe said something? Has Rey… said something? About me? I mean, before she was, you know…"

Rose's throat stabbed at her eyes. "You can't see it, can you?" She breathed.

Finn shook his head, frowning. "See… what?"

"Rey. Her feelings for you. You can't see what they are, can you?"

Finn straightened, eyes widening. "Did she say something to you about me?"

"She says it all the time," Rose told him, her chest compressing almost unbearably. "She holds you for what? A minute, then backs away suddenly, doesn't touch you for the rest of the day. She smiles at you like a puppy that has learned a new trick. Her favorite crew hand, not a co-pilot." She inhaled, and added: "She's not into you, Finn. There's someone else and you're willing to kill yourself for someone who wouldn't do the same for you."

"She would do the same for me," Finn defended. "I know she would. And Rey would tell me if there was someone else in her life." He stepped out of the escape pod, "It's what friends do."

Rose watched him leave, her heart feeling like a pile of rice in a shattered bowl. He was completely smitten with Rey, and why shouldn't he? She was gifted when it came to fixing things and piloting ships, proving this to Rose on numerous occasions without even thinking. Rey just did whatever popped into her mind. And she was captain of the _Millennium Falcon_ for crying out loud! But she had her secrets, especially when it came to the Force.

Rose snorted, "Yeah, she'd tell you," She said aloud to the pipes overhead. "It would be just like Rey to show up with Kylo Ren as her boyfriend, let alone prisoner."

SWSWSW

It was an actual bed. Rey had had nice bunks, and of course the occasional comfy spot on a hard bench, but this was a designated _bed._ It was a big one, too. Big enough so that she could flop to one side, then to the other and probably get tired doing it. Her excitement, however, diminished when a tall figure dressed only in trousers and jacket stepped into the corner of her eye.

"Um," He muttered, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Rey.

"We…we're supposed to share this…?" She lifted her hand and gestured to the bed.

Silence answered, and Rey could swear the same butterflies that attacked her innards were jumping out of her and crashing into him just as frequently. Ben inhaled, then leaned over, and took the fluffy gray and black fur comforter off the mattress, and straightened. He made a motion to turn to her, but didn't. "Good night, Rey."

Wordless, she felt him cross the floor of the suite and settle down on the sofa behind her. She nodded, the butterflies still attacking her at every angle. She looked down at her gown, realizing that Serotti was the one to fasten her into it and Rey hadn't paid much attention to how she did it.

"Um, Ben?"

"You have no idea how to get out of that thing?"

"Not a clue."

"Want me to get Serotti?"

"No!" Rey nearly shouted. "No, I-I think I can manage."

She had barely begun tugging at the skirt when she heard the sofa creak, and felt his hands on her back.

"I don't blame you," He whispered in her ear, the chains on her back tickling her skin. "Serotti can be one mean bitch."

"You knew her?" Rey asked, latching on to the front of the gown over her breasts as the back came loose.

"A bit." He answered, "I know Fraja more. Serotti must have become his apprentice after I left to be with Snoke full time. I could tell by the way she interacted with you. She's not one to be trifled with."

His fingers caressed her back in a single, slow line, down her flesh, sending shivers over her body, but he stepped away. From over her shoulder, he lifted a light, black garment that looked like a nightgown for her to take, his own face turned away. She took it, feeling him step away from her, knowing, just knowing, that he had given her his back.

"What happened?" Rey asked, "How did the Knights of Ren form?" She let the gown descend around her calves, and stepped out of it.

The atmosphere in the room surged with unspoken electricity, but Ben's voice was calm and soothed Rey as she fumbled with the nightgown.

"It started with Ren of Dagobah. He was an unusual kid from the start, but strong with the Force. Luke was nervous about him from the moment he walked up to the temple. No one knew where it was, you see? Luke would go out and find students from his meditations and dreams, then bring them to the temple. And Dagobah, that was the system where Luke trained with Master Yoda, and he never saw another living being there."

Rey could have cursed Serotti! The nightgown went over her head and fastened around her neck like a poncho, but left her shoulders open, and the fabric was transparent. So transparent that when she pressed it against her breasts to check their transparency, she could clearly see them!

"You alright?" Ben asked, bringing Rey's head around to look at him. He had only turned his head minutely, giving her his ear rather than his eyes.

"Yeah, I'm okay. So, Dagobah?"

"Yes." Ben turned back away from her, "He lasted only a week, but he brought the six of us together. We were constantly battling each other, trying to outdo one another. But him. He united us."

"Why did he only last a week?" Rey asked, seeing a chest near her and opening it, hoping for more clothes. It was only undergarments, but she grabbed a long, white underskirt and shoved her legs into it, pulling it up over her breasts and fixing the transparent nightmare over it.

"Ren of Dagobah was a corpse and had started to decay."

Rey nearly slammed the lid of the chest shut, "What? A _corpse?_ "

Ben nodded, his long hair bobbing. "Snoke animated him through the Dark Side of the Force. It was impressive, to say the least. But, frightening. Snoke used Ren of Dagobah to give insight to the voice I had heard all my life. It was his voice, Snoke's I mean. He was always there to comfort me, challenge me to show my strength.

"Luke cut through Ren like a blade of grass, but his impression remained. When Luke tried to kill me, my brothers came to my aid. Snoke's voice guided me to a place filled with weapons, including my crossblade that Luke had me throw away because the crystal was too stressed. In a day, we had masks. I thought Luke was dead, hoped for it, but the Force told me otherwise. He was just unconscious, buried in the hut along with my innocence. We were grateful for his absence, though. We cut through the temple like it was nothing, killing anyone who wouldn't join us. We were the only ones left." He lifted his head and his voice shook when he breathed, "We killed them all."

"Then you went to Maz Kanata's," Rey told him, absorbing the sight of his back and feeling the Force. He was disgusted with himself. "You left your first lightsaber there."

He snorted, turning his head slightly to tell her over his shoulder, "I let the past go."

"And called yourselves the Knights of Ren?"

"Yes."

"And changed your names?"

Ben chuckled, "Yes. Well, I did and they followed me."

Rey couldn't help but smile. "Why?"

"Because 'Ben Ren' sounded incredibly stupid."

Rey laughed, then crossed the floor and touched his shoulder, turning him around. "I prefer Ben Solo."

His eyes glittered, and he swallowed. "Sometimes I miss him," He whispered. "I feel him, in the quiet moments. When I can think alone."

Rey shivered, the question of who exactly "him" was weighing heavy on her shoulders. "Why did you kill your father?" She breathed. "You loved him, I know you did. You waited for him as a boy, then on Takodana. Why did you kill him?"

Ben parted his lips, "Because Snoke told me to. He said it would complete my journey to the Dark Side. Fulfill my training." He shook his head slightly, "No, it didn't. It made my mother a widow and split my soul apart."

Rey stared at him, the truth she had felt for so long echoing in the stillness. "You gave everything to Snoke, didn't you?"

He reached up and stroked her cheek with the back of his forefinger, tracing her jawline. She let him, lost in his chocolate brown eyes. "Everything, except you."

"Why?"

He smirked, the one he gave only to her. "I don't know."

She could tell he was lying.

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	12. Chapter 12

_Please Review!_

Chapter 12

Hux watched as the last of Ren's possessions were moved out of his new chambers. The sentimental fool even had a wooden chest full of valuable calligraphy tools! Hux ordered that the set be polished and mounted for ornamentation. A Storm Trooper walked up to him, his white armor smudged by dirt.

"Sir, what about the mask?" He asked.

Hux looked to him, "Remove it."

The Storm Trooper hesitated, twisting his body slightly to obey.

"What is it?" Hux demanded.

"We, uh, can't move it, sir."

"What do you mean…" He trailed off, the memory of Ren and Snoke's vice upon various parts of his body searing his brain. "Where is it?"

Hux had only seen it once, that famed mask that had been Ren's claim to mythical status among the officers. He had it with him when he moved onto the _Finalizer_ , and didn't allow anyone to hold that ebony box. Such action inspired imagination to infect the ship's crew, spread by the lowest ranking Storm Troopers who cleaned it's storage room until even Hux himself had to look.

It lied in a raised bowl of ash and black sand, sitting directly across from the chair Ren liked to do his penance in. It hadn't changed from the last time Hux had seen it, though the Storm Troopers assigned with it's removal had all glued themselves to the walls around it and shifted with unease. He inhaled, looking down at the mask, feeling the tension grow in the room as he looked at it: the mask of Darth Vader.

Such an honored, useless old relic, Hux thought. He looked around at the Storm Troopers, and snorted. "Well if there isn't a man among you," He spat. He lifted his hand and took a step towards the mangled myth.

Sparks surged at him, shocking him back to the tiles, heavy labored, rhythmic breathing hissing in his ears. Hux squirmed around, finding the Storm Troopers gone and his last means of escape welded shut behind him, the bright white lights flickering out until only one remained. Suddenly, a very large black figure moved around the chair, it's face the intact shape of the mangled mask on the ash.

Hux scrambled, trying to get to his feet but was held back. The breathing grew louder as the figure moved closer. Hux looked over his shoulder, heart hammering painfully against his chest as though trying to escape itself.

Darth Vader's boots echoed in the small room. His every movement magnified. He reached up, and took a long piece of silver from his belt.

Hux's boots scuffed the floor as he tried to get away. The action was futile, he couldn't move an inch. He was worse than a turtle upon his back, he was supper for a starved monster.

The crimson lightsaber ignited, stilling Hux's heart for one solitary moment before jabbering away again: this lightsaber was a crossblade. With his free hand, Darth Vader touched his mask at the protruding chin and lifted it, revealing sharp features, plump lips, and hard brown eyes with a scar angrily cutting across his right one.

Kylo Ren extended his lightsaber out to Hux, the heat from the blade so intense Hux could feel the hairs in his nose singeing and roasting his bare flesh. Hux looked from the laser blade to the man who yielded it, sweat pouring down his temples and tears of sheer fear leaking from his eyes.

Kylo Ren's lips curled, revealing a smile, wicked and cruel on the man's face. "Thank you," He whispered.

Hux heaved several times before quivering lips stuttered, "F-f-for what?"

"For binding me with my queen. My destiny."

He lifted the lightsaber above his head, secured it with both hands, and brought it crashing down over Hux's body.

Hux jolted, the white masks of the Storm Troopers clunking against each other as they fought to check his condition.

"Get off me!" Hux shouted, shoving the Storm Troopers off him, his heart still pounding. He jumped to his feet, walking and trying to breathe while staying clear enough away from the ashen mask.

He rested his hands on his knees, commanding himself to maintain steady breathing. He lifted a hand in the general direction of the Storm Troopers, not looking at them. "I don't care what you have to do. If you have to seal off this room, or blast it into oblivion, I don't care!" He straightened and avoided looking at the mask, "I never want to hear about it ever again!"

The Storm Troopers clicked to attention, "Yes, Supreme Leader!"

Hux hurried out of the room, thoughts unable to compose themselves save for one. The second Captain Frees hurried to him, he grabbed her arm. "Are you alright, sir?" She asked he pulled her along.

"No, I am not." He spat, wiping the moisture that leaked into and from his eyes. He pulled her into a conference room and closed the door. In the quiet, he could hear himself panting like a dog.

"Armitage?" Captain Frees's gentle voice cooed, "Please tell me what's wrong."

He closed his eyes, seeing for a painful second the sight of Darth Ren slicing him in half. "Captain Frees, if Ren should return, how could he bring this empire to it's knees?"

"Sir?"

Hux turned and repeated his question.

The captain shook her head, confused yet compliant. "Um, he and the Knights of Ren are the most lethal death squad in the galaxy. They could attack us personally-"

"Not us," Hux interrupted, "The empire." He lifted his head, "The plans for the Central Systems."

"Those were lost, sir." Captain Frees reminded him.

"No, no they weren't." Hux lifted a finger to his chin and turned to begin pacing. "Ren was trained by Snoke, they never told anyone their complete plans lest it fall into the hands of the Resistance." He about faced and paced again, "Ren told me, nay, threatened me about those plans for the Central Systems, said they were for defense. Why?"

He stopped pacing and faced Captain Frees, "He was lying. Those plans were for something else."

Captain Frees's face lifted with realization. "The _Vulture_ was a supply vessel for the Unknown Regions."

"Find me the captain that survived the wreckage," Hux commanded, taking her upper arms in his hands, "Then put all hands to the pump finding where that dreadnought left off supplies, what data was uploaded to the First Order mainframe, all of it." He leaned in and kissed her quickly before leaving the wide-eyed woman alone in the room.

SWSWSW

Rey awoke in her luxurious bed, finding herself tangled in pillows and blanket and Ben's freakishly long limbs. After she had seen him look quite uncomfortable on the more decorative than comfortable sofa, she had invited him to sleep next to her. He had insisted, _insisted_ , on putting the smaller decorative pillows between them as some sort of barrier. But, at some point during the night, those went flying across the room and his arms snaked over Rey's side and under her pillow, prompting a near immediate giggle fit that resulted in a pillow to the face and a deep grunt to shut up and sleep. That happened almost instantly, his warm body cradling her heart to the point where she didn't dream, nor wake suddenly and stay counting the ceiling tiles.

Delicately, Rey pushed his muscular arm off her hip, and pulled from her mouth unyielding strands of hair that she had slung over her shoulder to give Ben breathing room. She inhaled deeply, sleepy eyes adjusting to the elegant room around them.

"Morning," A sleepy, heavy voice mumbled.

She looked over her shoulder, and saw Ben's eyes through his messy black hair peering up at her. She smiled at him, not yet in the mood to speak, and gave a short wave. He exhaled, strands of his hair fluttering before his nose, then flopped over until he rolled out of bed and hit the floor.

Rey lifted herself to see over the edge of his side, a small tightness in her forehead with concern that he actually fell off.

His back and shoulders rose to view, then fell, then rose again, then fell again. Pushups, precisely executed.

Rey rose and moved to a door off to the side, hoping it was a relief room of some sort. It was a full, black marble streaked with white bathroom, complete with an actual bathtub. She looked over her shoulder at Ben's head, watching him huff as he did his pushups. He didn't get that body by just doing one form of exercise. She stepped into the bathroom, and shut the door.

SWSWSW

Her clothes had been freshly laundered and pressed, a welcome relief as she followed Serotti to the hangar bay where the _Millennium Falcon_ was nearly finished with repairs. "I don't know why you don't decommission the thing," Serotti complained, opening a door and revealing a rigorous welding process occurring below the thrusters of the cream colored ship.

"The _Falcon_ was the first ship I ever flew," Rey told her, looking up and smiling at the elderly freighter. "She still has many corners of the galaxy left to see."

Serotti huffed in disagreement, but said nothing, standing off to the side to let Rey enter.

From the interior, the brassy voice of a protocol droid cried out, "Oh, ow! Do be careful with my head!"

"Threepio!" Rey cried, quickening her step inside.

Within the medical corner, the shiny droid sat before a square R2 unit, a large welding rod protruding from it. The droid squawked a command and touched C-3PO's neck again, blue sparks bursting from the metal.

"Is that Captain Rey I hear?" C-3PO cried, his knee jerking upward as the droid continued working.

"Yeah, it's me, Threepio." Rey smiled.

"They were able to salvage him," Serotti's voice purred from below the ship. Rey turned and looked at her, seeing her hands on her hips. Serotti jutted her chin upward, "They should be done in an hour, empress."

"The faster away from this silly droid, the better." C-3PO chided, waving a stiff arm in the general direction of the droid.

"And we'll be gone just as quickly," Ben's voice called. He came into view, dressed in his usual black tunic and cloak, his hair still damp from showering.

C-3PO twitched in his seat, "Is that-"

"Not a word, Threepio." Rey hissed, her eyes hard against his. "Not, a, word."

SWSWSW

The Knights of Ren sent them off with respectful nods and hugs, along with the rather unwelcome feeling of a wicked promise suspended over Ben's head. Rey smiled as best she could, standing beside Ben, but couldn't hide her feeling of relief when the gangplank rose and locked them away from the black-clad spectres.

Ben sat in the co-pilot's seat, clicking what switches Rey couldn't reach, working in perfect sync with her as though he had always sat at her side taking them into space. The trusty freighter powered up, the threatening noises that had been so familiar to Rey shuddered for a moment before fading, the result of detailed repairs and replacements.

"All systems ready, Captain." Ben told her, a smile touching his lips as he spoke.

Rey didn't bother hiding her grin, "All systems ready, let's fly."

The vastness of space opened before them, the stars winking at them like old friends. Rey pushed them into it, watching over Ben as he punched in coordinates to take them into hyperspace. She hadn't told him of any Resistance hiding locations, and where he put them seemed to be a short distance into the middle of nowhere. She nodded at him, trusting him to push the hyperdrive button.

He inhaled, "Launching in three, two, one."

The stars stretched before them in slow, white and blue streaks, before shooting them into a tunnel of white streaked with blue. Rey exhaled, leaning back in her chair to let relief wave over her. She turned, seeing Ben do likewise.

"So, you want to take the left or the right?" She asked, half smiling at him.

He looked at her and returned the gesture, "I'll take the left, you take Threepio."

"Deal."

Within the hour, they found no less than four tracking and recording beacons, including one embedded in C-3PO's skull. He was the hardest to deal with as Rey had to essentially kill the droid again in order to remove his head.

"Sorry, Threepio," She cringed, gingerly setting the shiny plated head aside, beacons in hand. "I promise to make you good as new in a bit."

Carrying the intact spy pieces in the palm of her hand, she met Ben towards the center of the _Millennium Falcon_ , showing them to him. He held out his, small disks of silver and purple, wires hanging from them. Questions caught in Rey's throat, their birth hindered by the sudden anxiety of speaking before live objects.

Ben looked at her, and his eyes glittered, that hungry look she thought she'd seen the last of coming to his features. "Use the Force," He whispered, hardly a sound emitting from his lips.

Rey looked down at the disks, feeling for the Force around her. The peace of space, the chaos of hyperspace. The light found in Ben, the darkness in him, too. Conflict within him. She could feel the hum of the electricity surging in the devices, delicately constructed like a moth's wing. She narrowed her look at her hand, the Force a solid mass around her that she could easily grab. Her disk shivered, then shriveled with barely a spark. Ben chuckled, his own disks following suit all at once in his hand.

"There's one more on the thrusters," He told her, rotating his wrist and letting the pieces clatter to his boots. "We will have to get that when we land."

Ice fell into Rey's stomach and flowed through her veins. "Land… where?"

He looked at her, the question echoing in the vast emptiness of the ship. Where could they go? What could they do?

Hide, the word rang loudly on Rey's ears. They could flee to a system and live together away from the Resistance and the First Order. But where was safe enough? They would both be targets and regardless of who won, someone would come looking for them. As their hands slid into one another, they could feel the same answer dawning: safe was only temporary.

"There's… the Resistance." Rey breathed, a small part of her condemning her offer in case Ben was spying. "I just don't know how its going to work with you, to be honest."

He nodded and pulled her into his arms, resting his chin on her head whilst she rested her cheek on his chest. Ben licked his lips, and inhaled, "When you saw me turning to the Light, what exactly did you see?"

Rey leaned away and frowned, "What do you mean? We saw the same thing."

"Did we, though?"

The question surged through her like lightning. If he hadn't held her, she might have walked away to pace somewhere or start fixing something like C-3PO. His arms kept her grounded to him, her own warm anchor.

She swallowed and looked at him, "How would we know? Could we look again? Is that possible?"

Ben's eyes lowered in thought. "We saw it when our hands touched, on the island."

"No," Rey breathed, "That was the first time we _connected_. I came to you because you knew how it felt to be so lonely, to seek answers at any length or distance-"

"We were there completely for each other." Ben whispered. "No war, no sides, just us in the galaxy."

"D'you think we can do it again?" Rey whispered, her fingers moving mindlessly on his shoulders. "Bring the vision back to us?"

He searched her face, almost studying her, then looked to his left where the Common Area was, the seats restuffed and resewn so that they were even more inviting than usual. Wordlessly, he dropped his arms to his sides and moved toward it, Rey's feet moving to follow before she could process what she was doing. They sat down on the same bench, not touching, but watching the other's every movement, every breath.

"Just look," Ben told her. "Don't assume anything in the vision. Just tell me what you see and I'll tell you the same."

Rey swallowed and nodded, her thoughts clear. Ben, her body pined. Slowly, hand shaking, she reached out with her right hand, just like she did years ago. He did the same, his hand shaking slightly. Their fingers brushed, a small shock rushing down her spine at his touch.

But otherwise, nothing happened.

"I don't see anything, do you?"

"No, nothing."

Ben dropped his hand and inhaled, mashing his lips together. "Rey, can you remember the moment? What you were thinking? How you were feeling?"

She nodded. She could remember vividly the sight of the dark mirror in the cave on Ach-To, the dozens of Reys lined all the way to the void… to nothingness. Her eyes travelled down his tunic, the hope and love being scratched from her like a tally on a metal wall. Loneliness seeped in, hurried by disappointment. She still didn't have the answers to the questions she had asked; she was still lonely Rey from Jakku.

"I felt alone," She breathed, not looking at him.

"You're not alone," His voice breathed.

Relief surged through her simply hearing those words. No, she wasn't alone. She had only thought his dedication was obligatory, a Force connection that wasn't of their own volition. Now she knew it to be much deeper.

She smiled only slightly, warmth overflowing her. "Neither are you," She told him.

Rey reached her hand out, longing to touch his hand, face, and hair. He lifted his hand and reached out for her at the same time she did, her heart beginning to jabber inside of her. The grooves of their forefingers were the first to connect, sending a wild image into Rey's mind clear and precise.

Ben was quick and latched onto her hand, his own eyes staring into the void. "Tell me what you see," He commanded, "Not what you think, what you _see_."

"You tell me," Rey ordered. "What do you see?"

"I see a… a room. It's lit like it's on fire. And you're in my arms."

"Its not fire," Rey corrected, holding on to the image. "It's lights. Like on the _Nest._ "

"The Knights of Ren are dead," He breathed, his eyes darting around though Rey couldn't see it. "I killed them, I know I did."

"Just see," Rey told him. "Remember, no assumptions."

"It is a ship, but nothing that I've ever been on," Ben continued. "The bodies of the Knights of Ren are around me. What's around you? What do you see?"

Rey paused, taking the time to see if she could turn in the vision or if it was a fixed picture. She could, and what she saw made her jolt upright and scamper away from him.

"No!" She cried, tears flying from her eyes. "No! No!"

Ben was on his feet just as quickly, his eyes sharpened with focus and concern for the woman before him. "What did you see? Rey, tell me!"

"Finn!" Rey cried, her back hitting a wall. "Finn! And Rose and Poe! I killed them! I know I did, I could feel it!"

"Rey, come here." Ben commanded softly, reaching out and taking her arms to pull her into him.

She wept into his chest, her entire body shaking so much that it was a miracle that she could stand. Ben kissed her forehead, then cupped both of her cheeks and tilted her head back to peer into her shimmering eyes. They were like tidepools near a cloudy ocean, restless and brimming with life unexplored. He brushed her lips with his, tasting salt and warming with the sheer thought of comforting her with his presence. He moved to wrap his arms around her neck, Rey's arms answering by encircling his waist.

Rey looked over his shoulder, and he over her temple, the sight that pushed into them from the Force scarred them to their very core.

SW

 _Ben stands shivering from the fight he has just endured, his white robes stained red. Around him balls of orange light burst and descend into small stars dying. He moves forward, his hair sticking to his face and neck, his blue lightsaber still ignited. He looks up and sees her, Rey, moving towards him._

 _Though she is wearing black, the stench of blood and bodily release is upon her clothes. Behind her are the bodies of Poe Dameron, Rose Tico, and Finn. Finn's face is pointed towards them, his hands still clutching a smoking weapon, cut in half from Rey's crimson lightsaber._

 _They meet in the midst of the chaos, lightsabers spitting and buzzing. Ben is the first to turn off his lightsaber and takes Rey by the waist, taking his time to rub his free hand over her stomach, noting how big it had gotten. They kiss, the colors of their garments intertwining to create one bold color: gray._

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	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

There was nothing more daunting than seeing the white and gray half Mon Calamari Class B, half Old Empire Star Destroyer appear as the _Millennium Falcon_ slowed out of hyperspace. Rey inhaled, nerves trembling down her arms and legs as Koita Mathe's voice slithered into her thoughts, "Would the Resistance do their jobs if Ben is apprehended?"

"They're worried for you," Ben told her, looking from the hybrid ship to Rey. "Can't you feel it?"

"It is not myself I am worried for." She told him, taking the commlink and waiting for someone to talk to her.

Silence ensued and Ben turned to study her face as she waited, eyes pointed forward.

"Tell them I am your guest."

She looked at him. "What?"

He inhaled, his eyes soft. "Trust me," He said.

Peace washed over her, so much so that she reached out and took his hand as it reached for her. She knew, rather than thought or realized, that he had played the part of a skilled politician before. He knew what to do in this moment.

The commlink buzzed with static before Poe's voice barked, "Corellian freighter, this is the _Rising Dawn_. Is that you, Rey?"

Rey pushed the speaker button with her thumb, "Roger _Rising Dawn_ , this is the captain of the _Millennium Falcon_. Good to hear from you, Poe."

Nothing. Rey grinned and shook her head. He was probably screaming across the ship in victory.

"How in the hell…? You know what? I don't care. Get your ass inside here, Finn's been worried sick and so have I."

Rey chuckled, "Copy that. _Millennium Falcon_ moving to board the _Rising Dawn_." She caught sight of Ben and swallowed. "I'm bringing a guest with me."

"Bring them on board, the more the merrier."

Ben chuckled to himself, waiting until Rey put away the commlink before asking, "He really doesn't think before he speaks, does he?"

Rey smiled, "Not all the time."

SWSWSW

Finn bolted, full speed, around pilots and droids until he could see the bright orange of the rotund BB-8 waiting to take him to the main hangar.

"Beebee Ate! Is she okay?" Finn shouted, skidding to a halt as the droid moved to the side, possibly in fear of being tripped over.

BB-8 chirped excitedly, nodding his head. Without further gestures, he rolled forward at a quick pace, Finn on his heels. He rolled easily through the hangar doors and around a cluster of pilots who had also heard the news of Rey's arrival.

The _Millennium Falcon_ , repaired to almost pristine condition, glided into the main hangar bay and shuddered to sleep, the landing lights flickering on and the cargo ramp lowering with a hiss of steam.

"Rey!" Finn couldn't help but shout, stepping around gathering pilots and commanding officers. "Is she there?" He asked Poe, "Can you see her?"

"Relax, buddy." Poe smiled, his face a picture of disbelief. Finn turned to him at the mere suggestion that he shouldn't be overjoyed at the prospect of Rey surviving. Poe, still staring at the _Falcon_ , smiled, "The danger's over for her. She's…" He trailed off, his face freezing with disbelief.

Finn whirled around, seeing Rey, _Rey!_ move slowly down the gangplank in perfect condition, still wearing the clothes she had worn for the funeral. His smile spread across his face so much that he thought he was going to taste his ears, and his heart! Oh, his heart ached with sheer joy and love for this incredible woman who always seemed to land on her feet.

Until he saw the figure that moved behind her, holding her hand.

Black clad, silver lightsaber attached to his belt, hair perfectly combed, and scarred eyes sweeping one end of the hangar to the other, hand forming a death grip on Rey's, walked Kylo Ren.

Rey nodded to Poe, then turned back to the man who followed her, waiting.

Kylo looked quickly to her, and swallowed, lifting his eyes to Poe and straightening himself. He released his grip on Rey and lifted two fingers pressed together: a sign of surrender.

"I surrender to the custody of the Resistance."

As one, the eyes of the Resistance turned to look at Poe. He stared, dumbstruck, at the man who had tortured him years ago, the one who had haunted General Organa in more ways than one. His eyes flicked to Rey and parted his lips.

She nodded to him. "It's true," She said. "He's not safe within the First Order anymore, none of the Knights of Ren are. And Kylo is enemy number one."

Poe looked from her to Kylo, then back again. He nodded, "Take him to the brig. Lock him in his own cell."

Finn watched as Rey whirled back to Kylo, her eyes wide as he dropped his hand to his side and began to walk down the ramp.

"Ben?" She whimpered, reaching out for him.

He ignored her, and instead unfastened his lightsaber and handed it to her. "Don't worry," He told her. "The Force is with you."

From behind him, Finn heard a low roar rumble through the hangar. He looked up and saw Chewbacca step forward with a pair of manacles. Oh, this is going to be good, Finn thought, a smirk touching his lips.

Kylo took one look at the Wookiee and flinched backwards away from him a step. Chewbacca wailed, clicking a button and snapping the manacles open. He moved to grab the dark figure, but Rey stepped between them, arms spread wide and stared down the giant Wookiee. She lifted a finger.

"Don't hurt him," She growled. "I'm warning you, Chewie. He's _my_ guest."

"What?" Finn gasped, shifting his weight. Was this the same Rey that fought him on Star Killer Base? The same Rey that had watched him skewer his own father?

Chewbacca growled at her, trying to step around her, but her hand flew open and the eight foot tall Wookiee was pushed back several paces, much to his surprise.

"I mean it," Rey growled. "Not a scratch on him."

Chewbacca looked taken aback, if that was possible for his hairy face to portray. Kylo stepped close to Rey, and whispered to her, speaking only one word lost to Finn, possibly her name. She dropped her hand and stepped back, setting her jaw like that one motion was the only thing that was keeping her together.

Kylo outstretched his hands toward Chewbacca, watching his face the entire time. With a grunt, Chewbacca fitted the manacles onto his wrists and clicked them shut. Finn exhaled, feeling a miniscule flutter of relief to hear that sound echo in the pindrop-quiet hangar. Kylo walked, escorted by Chewbacca, with his head held high and eyes pointed forward. Everyone watched them go, all except for Finn who turned immediately to Rey as she melted to come towards him and Poe.

"Finn," She sighed, her features rearranging to relief.

"Rey!" Finn cried, catching her in a warm hug. He smelled her hair, it had been washed with good quality soap, but it was her. His girl come home again. "Rey," He faced her, "What happened? How did you get Kylo Ren? _Kylo?_ "

"There's a lot to explain," She told him, shooting a glance over his shoulder. "He's been good to me, Finn. He kept me safe, helped me to get away from the First Order."

"Rey," Poe's voice interjected, making the both of them turn. "Welcome back."

"It's good to be back," She smiled, dropping her hands from around Finn's neck to hug Poe for a quick squeeze.

Finn wanted to pull her back into his arms, but a different sight caught his eye: three councilmen and two senators. That wasn't a good sign.

"I'll take Rey back to her quarters," He said quickly, reaching for her forearm.

"Before you do, Captain," Councilwoman Tria told him, stepping around Poe, "We would very much like to hear Captain Rey's apprehension of the prisoner."

"Prisoner?" Rey asked, eyes flicking to each person gathering around Poe.

Poe inhaled deeply, and cocked his eyebrow at Rey. "Why don't we go somewhere you could tell us about how you met your… guest? Finn, you can come along."

SWSWSW

Ren had been in his cell for about an hour before Poe had ordered him to the interrogation room. Rey's testimony of what had happened to her was not complete and Poe -and more dangerously, the Council- knew it; she was hiding something. He despised thinking that perhaps she and Ren had somehow become affectionate, even lovers. How could it be possible to move from mortal enemies to, well, whatever it was that they were in such a short time?

Poe waited outside the door to the interrogation room, waiting for a petty officer to bring him a tray of tea. He really didn't want to go inside, but he knew that if he didn't, Rey would find a way to contact Ren and that was going to be the final nail in her coffin. The petty officer came, the smells of lyphon tea wafting to him.

Lyphon tea was a poor man's drink, made with common leaves and few of the orange and white flowers of the lyphon plant that gave it it's name, but it was nothing spectacular. It was a gesture of goodwill, poured into a clear glass teapot with black glass cups. Poe inhaled and elbowed the button on the door, shooting it to the ceiling and allowing him to enter.

Ren sat with his hands clasped over his stomach, leaning back on his chair when Poe walked in. Seeing him sit there, cool and confident, Poe had a sudden urge to throw the tea in his face. He swallowed that urge, however and set the tray down on the table in front of him and poured him a cup, Ren's eyes upon him the entire time. He slid a black cup of the purple liquid to Ren, noting that his manacles had been removed and had not left any marks as Rey had threatened.

Ren accepted his cup with a small sip.

Poe began, "So, the going rate for enemies of the First Order is ten million credits."

Ren placed his cup back on the table, "How much for two?"

Poe chuckled, "All the credits in the world would be enough to give you up, Ren. Not after the interrogation you gave to me and many of my fighters."

Ren shrugged, indifferent. "Waste of an opportunity, if you ask me."

"Yeah, well I'm not asking." Poe snapped. "What happens, Ren? We kill you, have a little fun in the doing of it, give your body to the First Order, get paid. Then what? War keeps going, no one wins."

"Like I said," Ren grunted, "Wasted opportunity."

"But if I trust you, I'm putting the survival of an already fragile resistance in your hands."

"Do you know the difference between the First Order and the Resistance?" Ren asked, lifting an eyebrow slightly, "The First Order's people can eat 'hope.'" He cocked his head softly in thought and added, "And trade it, and make it. Whereas the Resistance trades and makes words with 'hope.'" He focused on Poe, "Words are fleeting, they die with people. My mother knew that, that's why she tried so hard to gain ground when all she had was words."

Poe leaned back and sauntered to his designated chair. He moved it to sit close to Ren and plopped himself down, half leaning onto the table. "I'm listening."

"Do you know why people fear mosquitoes more than they do rafthars or lions?" Ren asked, his voice dangerously calm. "It's because mosquitoes attack when you're not expecting it. In places you didn't know were exposed until you find yourself scratching a place you didn't know was there, even though it's your body. With lions, its something big, you can feel the fear growing in you before the animal even bares its teeth. Mosquitoes, you're afraid before you even feel it."

Poe blinked. "If you're trying to say something, Ren, now's the time to do it."

"I'm saying for a Rebellion, you don't do much rebelling."

Poe leaned away. What exactly did he think they were doing for the last ten years?

"You've been playing war games," Ren answered, taking his teacup. "My mother liked to hit people head on rather than go through channels. It worked," He raised an eyebrow and sipped as if in congratulations, "For a time. That time has passed away, much like a majority of your fleet."

"The First Order's gotten too big, you mean?"

Ren set his cup down on the table. "Exactly."

"How big?" Poe asked.

Ren's eyes glittered, reminding Poe of a teacher who was proud of his student for finally getting to the point. "The _Supremacy_ ," He said.

"Snoke's ship?" Ren nodded. "Where'd you guys get that thing?"

Ren hesitated, then answered. "I don't know." Poe could feel he was telling the truth. "Absolute disclosure wasn't Snoke's strong suit."

It hit Poe like a colliding ship. He leaned away, then breathed, "The _Vulture._ The encrypted plans. You were trying to figure out what Snoke was doing."

"I succeeded," Ren corrected. "I just don't know what they are… yet."

"'Yet?'" Poe asked, raising his eyebrows.

Ren lifted his right arm and pulled at the sleeve, forcing the tight cuff over his forearm to reveal muscular flesh, interrupted by small mounded veins, and a single, almost tattoo like black strip running across the underside of the forearm. Poe leaned forward, squinting as he observed thin gold lines crossing over it like the thing was alive.

"What is that?" Poe asked, looking up at him.

"My bargaining… chip."

SW

Rey sat, exhausted from her meeting with the council, with her hands placed on her stomach, feeling the Force as it told her about her friends. Finn was ecstatic about her survival and kept jabbering about everything that happened when she was gone. To appease him, she told him and the council of superiors the bare minimum of what she had encountered on the _Nest_. How many Knights of Ren called Ben their brother, their dinner, their way of seeking out the weakest among them, then Ben using his influence as their leader to get the _Millennium Falcon_ fixed, and then came home. She knew, just like she knew breathing, that she could not tell them about her intimacy with Ben or that she had been worshipped as a sort of Dark Empress. They would think her to be compromised, a spy even. Kaydel Connix would relish the opportunity to point a finger and scream spy.

Rose worried Rey the most. The usually quiet engineer was downright silent and her feelings towards Rey were harsh. While Finn was talking, Rey sent out a gentle finger of the Force to softly rifle through her thoughts. She was remembering her sister, Paige. She did it often, but this time the memory was cold, angered. She was upset at Ben for killing Paige though he had nothing to do with her passing, and with Rey for bringing him to their home, alive.

Rey turned back to Finn in time to hear his question: "How could you bear to be with Ren that whole time?"

She had to fight against the wildfire in her stomach to answer correctly, "He-ugh… we had many similarities. He was rather charming after a while."

Rose turned to frown at her the same moment Poe walked in, bringing them to their feet.

"As you were, guys," He commanded. His hair was greatly mussed, and his feelings mixed with frustration and intimidation. He waited for them to resume their seats before beginning. "So, I had an in-depth conversation with our uninvited guest."

Rey shot the Force to the brig, feeling to ensure that Ben was unscathed. He was.

"What's he offering?" Finn asked, his back rigid.

SW

Ren looked down at his arm, "It is a data server of whatever I want. Including a universal decryption code."

"It's in your skin," Poe told him, looking wide eyed from the device, to Ren, and back again.

"I knew Hux was planning a coup from the moment he objected to my becoming Supreme Leader, I couldn't very well leave it on my nightstand."

SW

"I didn't notice anything on his arm," Rey told him, frowning and thinking back to when he presented his shirtless body to her. There had been something on his arm, she had glimpsed it for a moment when he was fighting Koita Mathe, but he moved so fast and no one seemed to make special mention of it, so it was quickly forgotten in favor of the unspoken duel they all played.

"It wasn't common knowledge, and he was careful with showing it." Poe told her. "According to him, a droid installed it and Ren wiped it's hard drive by sticking his lightsaber in it's head. A simple surgery is being prepared to remove it."

A chill ran down Rey's spine at the thought of a surgery.

"What are his terms?" Finn asked.

Poe shifted his weight. "Rey," He answered, looking at her.

All eyes in the room turned to her; Finn's in horror, Rose's in disappointment. Rey however, was torn between smiling with absolute flattery and a need to stay humble. She nodded in small acknowledgement instead.

"What do you mean Rey?" Finn demanded. Rey couldn't stop the smile at the feeling of protection he exuded.

"He wants to train her to become a proper Jedi." Poe answered.

SW

"You expect me to hand over my best fighter? Again?" Poe demanded.

"Rey's skills are impressive, but on the grand scheme they're mediocre at best." Ren leaned back in his chair, "She could be just like me or better with proper training."

Poe stopped his pacing and faced him, "You turned away from the Light, you want Rey to do the same?"

Ren cocked his eyebrow, "If that's how she feels, you can't stop her."

Poe shook his head. "Nah-uh. Rey's not going." He declared, then added, "Alone."

SW

"What?!" Finn, Rose, and Rey screeched.

"Finn's going to Jedi training with Rey," Poe half smiled, "Along with someone else."

SW

"Does that traitor even know what the Force is?" Ren demanded, jumping from his chair to begin pacing.

"He sure does," Poe lied, grinning and watching Ren move, pleased that he had thrown Ren off balance. "And I'm one hundred percent certain that he'll keep Rey from joining the Dark Side."

Ren exhaled what sounded like a growl before stopping and facing Poe. "Then I want one more student."

SW

"Me?" Rose squeaked, eyes wide around. "Why me? What did I ever do to you?"

SW

"She is strong with the Force," Ren explained, gripping the back of his seat. "If I'm stuck with my equal and a rock, I may as well have a real student."

"How do you know she's strong in the Force?"

"She exudes it when I'm around," Ren explained, "She'll be a formidable match when she's trained properly."

SW

"Where are we going to train?" Rey asked, butterflies tickling her at the thought that now -at long last- she was going to have a proper teacher.

"You said Ach-To was designed to produce Jedis, right?" Poe asked. Rey nodded. "We'll leave you there, have the _Falcon_ do a fly over once a week to check up on you guys."

"And the Resistance can spare us?" Finn asked, gesturing left and right to Rose and Rey.

Poe inhaled, his feelings grave.

Rey hardened her jaw, "It can. Why?"

Poe turned to her, his features soft. "You are still in trouble for inviting the First Order to Leia's funeral."

"But I brought in Kylo Ren," She defended.

Poe hesitated, "Rey, that's the reason you're not in the brig right now facing charges of collusion without consent."

"What?" Rey shouted, sitting up in her chair. "Is that what you and the council discussed as soon as I left?"

"Rey, calm down," Poe told her. "You broke the rules, you pay the price just like any pilot would."

An echoing silence ripped through the room. Rey leaned slowly away, lips parted, feeling as though she been slapped. Rey was more than a mere pilot, she was a walking legend, the closest thing to a _Jedi_ , and everyone in the Resistance knew it. A small part of her memory stabbed at her deflated ego, reminding her of Master Skywalker's cynical speech on legends. She closed her mouth, no one had ever challenged her legend before. No one had ever dared.

Immediately, Poe backpedaled, "This is your shot to prove to everyone that you're more than just a pilot. You're a key member of the Resistance and anyone who thinks you're not can rot in hell."

SW

"Say I don't do this?" Poe asked, watching Ren retake his seat. "Say I take that chip and hand you over to the First Order, then what?"

Ren looked at him, a king in his castle. "The Knights of Ren."

The words struck Poe like a blaster to the chest. "Your personal hit squad?"

Ren nodded. "I call them, they come get me, we take on the First Order, then kill you. Or, I don't follow that order."

"How can you call anyone when you're a prisoner?" Poe asked, rising slightly. "You do what we let you here, not the other way around. You may have Rey on your side, but she's easy to take care of. You're a prisoner of the Resistance, Ren."

Ren stared at him, his lips perfectly sealed. Poe had barely registered that Ren flexed his hand when his throat tightened, and it became harder to breathe. He tried to clear his throat, but the vice tightened harder, like a snake taking advantage of every squirm of a writhing prey. Ren lifted his hand, his fingers curling slowly into a fist, eyes unwavering.

"Am I a prisoner here, Commander Dameron?" He whispered, watching Poe drop to his knees. "Really?"

Poe sputtered, his innards yearning to vomit but unable to find escape through the tightening. Suddenly, the vice dropped and his head hit the ground, his lungs jumping wide to take in breath and his innards sloshed about trying to settle. He looked up at Ren, panting, watching the man's hand settle back down over his stomach.

"You don't have two people who happened to be strong in the Force," Ren told him, his eyes beginning to glitter, "You have _the_ two people strong in the Force. Here on this ship." He looked around, noting the cracks in the interior, the slap-stick repair work of two ships hybrided together. His eyes rolled back to Poe, on his knees before him. "If you hurt me, you risk upsetting Rey. What would she do if motivated? Hmm? You've seen her anger…" He narrowed his look, that familiar intrusion onto Poe's brain thrusting him back onto his bottom on the cold floor. "Ah, yes. She's frightened you, before. Especially with a broken lightsaber searing her hand. The way she dismantled that Storm Trooper in the forest. Not giving him quarter, not even flinching when she took off his head."

His look darkened, and Poe remembered with stunning detail the man who interrogated him without ever laying a finger on him.

"Can you imagine what _I'm_ like, if Rey is hurt? Physically or emotionally?"

Poe slammed his hand onto the table, clinking the glass tea set, and hoisted himself up, fuming with every puff of precious air.

"I can call the Knights of Ren whenever I please, and so can Rey. She called to me to inform me of the funeral, she can call to the Knights for help if need be."

"Would she?" Poe spat, wrenching himself to a proper standing position. "Would she stand by and watch us die for you?"

"Want to bet?" Ren asked, a half smile coming forth. "I bet…" He looked to the roof in contemplation, "How much is this ship worth? Ten thousand credits? How much for that little droid that caused me so much annoyance during our first meeting? I'll add another two hundred for him. That's only if I'm wrong. What's the cost if I'm right, Commander?" His smile faded, "Can you pay it?"

He reached for his cup of tea when Poe shoved the tray and cup off the table, the shattering glass staining the ground as well as the silence.

"I want you off my ship," Poe hissed.

Ren leaned forward, glaring into Poe's eyes. "I'm here because of Rey. I go where she goes. If she's not next to me when you arrive at the next port, I'm not leaving."

SWSWSW

Rey made her way to the medical wing, feeling the Force jitter around her. Ben was fine, though she could feel he was in pain.

"Rey, wait up!" Finn called, his footsteps clattering behind her.

She found it easy to ignore him, though the act of doing it weighed heavily on her and she slowed her pace until even Rose walked past her, her feelings still heavily confused and terrified.

"Jedi?" Finn asked, his voice laden with bewilderment and awe.

"I know!" Rey squealed, genuinely excited. "Finally, someone is willing to teach me in the ways of the Force. And you, too!"

"You learned about the Force from Luke," Finn reminded her.

"Yeah, but there's loads more to learn," Rey told him. "Not just lifting rocks and fighting for the greater good. There's more, I know it."

Rose had stopped before the observation window of the medical wing, staring inside. Rey and Finn joined her, Rey's heart skipping a beat when she looked in. Ben was seated on a gurney, his forearm inside a white, half-surgical unit, his tunic half hanging on his free arm to reveal a black tank top over bulging muscles. The moment Rey stepped into the window, Ben turned to look at them, his three students all peering wide-eyed at their master.

"Let me in," Rey breathed, reaching for the door handle.

The door opened easily enough, though Rey still felt the need to push it open and rush in, her heart thundering in sheer excitement as Ben reached out his free hand to take her waist and pull her close, his forehead settling neatly in the hollow of her throat. Rey clutched his head at the temples, and pressed her lips into his hair.

"Are you alright?" She asked, pressing her cheek into his hair.

He gave a short grunt of discomfort before answering, "I'll live."

Rey leaned away, still allowing him to hold her. "Did they give you a sedative?"

"They kindly informed me it was on that tray over there," He gestured to a tray of vials across the small room, then turned back to her, "Then they left me alone. It's nothing, though. The procedure is almost over."

That didn't stop Rey from crossing the floor to find a dose and brought it back to him, cracking the small plastic open with her hands and holding it to his lips to drink. He swallowed it, his eyes closing as the relief swept over him. Rey smiled as she tossed the empty vial into the waste chute, her body warming comfortably at the feel of him happy to see her. His eyes opened, amber flecked with gold shimmering before her, churning within her an overwhelming desire to lean in and stare into those eyes while their lips touched.

He twitched his face towards the door, his eyes hardening almost as quickly. Rey turned as he discreetly lowered his arm, prompting her to take a step back to admit her friends into the room.

"Finn, Rose," She breathed, "I want you to meet our master," Their eyes met again, only this time he was uncertain of her next words. "Master Kylo Ren."

She hated that name. That forced, abused title that ravaged anything good about the man it labelled, but she swallowed her hate. So help her she would know him as Ben Solo and no one else, but it was up to him to show that side to his students. He smirked at her, his special smirk, in gratitude.

At once, Ben turned to Finn and Rose, watching them come into the room, Finn striding in chest puffed to exude confidence, Rose flat scared.

"Padawans," Ben began, taking in the sight of them from head to toe. "It was not my desire to teach you, but, well, shit happens." He rolled his eyes and sighed, "I won't be an easy master. It is desirable to teach children and not adults as children have not developed bad habits long enough to be permanent. As such, I haven't taught apprentices, only peers who had a detailed introduction from Master Luke Skywalker."

Finn's puffed chest impression began to falter and Rose's already pale face went paler.

"I'll help you," Rey assured them, speaking more to Finn and Rose than Ben. "I have the Jedi texts."

The medicine must have taken full effect for Ben to have swerved away from Rey that fast and that far. He gaped at her, eyes wide. "You what?"

She nodded and shrugged, "Yeah. Master Luke wasn't going to teach me anything because of how powerful I was, so I took the texts. He wasn't using them."

Ben stared at her, eyes wide, hardly blinking. "No one, ever, touched the sacred texts."

"Why not? They're interesting if a bit tedious."

"You read them?!"

"Yeah. Well… not all of them. Some of the chapters are very intense and way beyond my level of understanding. Why?"

Ben gaped at her, the half surgical unit beeping until it released his hand and brought him out of his stupor. He rubbed his forearm, "I'm going to need to see those texts."

"No problem, they're on the _Falcon_."

Ben's eyes looked ready to burst from their sockets, "They're on the _Falcon?!_ "

"Do you guys need a minute?" Rose asked, leaning back towards the door.

"No," Rey and Ben said in unison, still looking at each other.

"Is this going to be a thing the entire time?" Finn asked, lifting a hand and gesturing between the two of them.

"Yes," Rey and Ben answered in unison.

Rey turned to them, her eyes locked on Ben as he massaged his newly fixed arm, "Ben and I are balanced in the Force. What he can do, I can easily catch up on and vice versa."

"But I'm your Master," Ben told her, running his thumb over the clean line of replenished flesh on his forearm. "Whatever those books may have taught you, I will show you how to apply it. _My_ way." He looked at her, then added, "Is that clear?"

Rey hesitated. She had wanted a teacher, and these were the stakes. She nodded, "Yes, Master Ren."

"Good," Ben declared, rising slowly and shouldering his tunic. "One down, two to go."

"What is that?" Finn demanded, ignoring Ben and looking at the medical droid as it cleaned off a small, black device.

"It needs the encrypted files." Ben told them. "It's useless without them."

BB-8 rolled squawked loudly, followed by Poe. "All done and dusted, I hear?" He asked, looking to Ben and Rey.

"Chip's yours," Ben told him, rising. "Given that I have your word on the matter."

"You have my word," Poe told him instantly, a timbre of doubt ringing in Rey's ears.

Ben inhaled, hearing the same tone. "Show me the files."

A computer was brought forth, the encrypted files opened, and Ben watched as the decryption device was inserted. BB-8 chirped at him, It needs a passcode.

Ben reached over and turned the computer, tapping a dizzying array of no less than twenty two keys that turned the hovering red screen green, then almost clear save for thin, black lines scattered over the screen.

"What happened?" Poe asked, frowning and eyes scanning the screen.

"It's working," A small voice answered. Rey turned and saw Rose, immersed in one of her intelligent trances, move slowly towards the computer. "It's decrypting the plans."

Poe looked from the screen to her. "Why is it so slow?"

Rose's mouth opened, her breathing sputtering as her eyes twitched over the screen. She huffed, her eyes widening, "It's a ship." She lifted her finger and dragged it from the bottom of the screen to the top, showing him more of the small lines steadily crawling in indistinguishable stokes. "It's… many ships. Big ships."

"Why is it so slow?" Poe asked again.

"They're detailed," Rose whispered, her voice chock full of awe. "They're unbelievably detailed."

"They will be," Ben answered, leaning back on the gurney.

"In about, how long?"

Ben shrugged, "About a month? Two months?"

"Two months?" Poe exclaimed. "We don't have that kind of time!"

"Yes, you do," Rose breathed, still staring. "These are blueprints." She turned to Ben, "These ships, are they commissioned the moment they're ready to fly or be used?"

Ben lifted his head, his features light. "Used."

"What's the difference?" Poe demanded, looking from one to the other.

"She's right," Finn breathed, his face melting to awe as well. "Each ship, a useable ship, is complete with everything a crew needs to make a single voyage. A ship this big-"

"Will need gardens and paddocks for food," Rose interrupted, her excitement growing. "Full armories, not to mention the fuel needed to fly the thing and barracks for crew and soldiers!" She trailed off, astounded. "You have, _plenty,_ of time before this ship is done decrypting."

"How. Long?" Poe asked, looking from one of the three faces to Rey who stood equally clueless.

"It takes roughly five years for a finished ship to be commissioned as useable." All eyes fell to Ben as he spoke. "Five years of a small, dedicated crew to keep the gardens and livestock in production, standard maintenance, testing of the weaponry, et cetra. Once it receives it's commission, it's filled to standard capacity and given flying orders. You have four hundred ships currently in production at your grasp and you want it to be finished instantly?" Ben tutted and shook his head, "Unwise to say the very least."

Poe nodded slowly, "We could take these ships. Repurpose them, give them as gifts for Resistance allies."

"Your rebellion can survive," Ben corrected. "But only if you take the time to _rebel._ "

He trailed off the same moment the hairs on Rey's neck stood on end.

"What?" Finn asked, flinching forward at their change. "What is it? Should we be feeling it, too?"

Ben turned to Rey, his face calm whilst hers rose with danger. "You feel that?" She asked, turning to him.

He nodded solemnly. "Hux," He breathed.

"They found us," Rey worried.

In an instant, Poe, BB-8, Finn, and Rose bolted from the medical bay down the corridor. Rey moved to join them, her mind focused on jumping into an X-Wing to defend them, but a firm grip seized her forearm and held her back. She whirled back, seeing Ben drawing himself close to her, his entire body exuding calm.

"No," He told her, "You have been destined for a better purpose than flying." He slid his hand down her forearm to her hand and squeezed it. "Take me to the bridge and I'll show you."

A fog descended over Rey, one that muddied everyone but Ben and herself. She gasped, and his face lightened, he felt it too. As one, they moved. The ship shivered around them, but they didn't waver. Chaos shot around them, pilots shouting their dismay as they prepared to mount an assault on these new invaders, astromechs moving to and fro in mountains of anxiety, and in the command bridge, a determined fury overwhelmed the officers and Poe as they scrambled to make sense of this new threat.

Rey turned her head to Ben as he leaned into her ear. "This is your family?" He breathed, moving his hands to cup her shoulders.

She nodded, "The only family I've ever known."

They felt a flicker around the fog, someone had identified them but there was too much going on to do anything about it. In the bay windows, among the swirling nebulae and stars, TIE fighter jets emitted like smoke from a solitary, massive, star destroyer.

Ben looked from the fury to Rey, the fog dissipating only slightly as his mind worked. "Defend your family, Rey." He breathed, looking to her. "Show them the lengths of the Force they take for granted. Show your family what they are to become."

Finn's voice echoed in her ears, a loud, senseless echo that barked orders filled with concern and fear. Rey knew what Ben was asking her to do, like he was asking her to put on her shoes, even though she had never used the Force to this magnitude before. She inhaled, and stepped away from him, remembering the children gathered around the fighting arena on the _Nest._ They starved for the chance to see what they would become, clamored around each other in case they would miss a better shot, a better use of the Force.

Rey halted an arm's distance away from the observation glass, ignoring the calling of her name behind her. Slowly, she closed her eyes and stretched out her hand. Though the fog remained, the Force was in sharp focus around her like a needle freshly minted. She felt a TIE fighter gather it's courage to mount an assault on the command bridge, could hear the settings switch to torpedoes. Such a small thing, she thought. It felt like an egg upon her palm, one daring to be crushed. She bent the tips of her fingers, feeling the Force bend to her will that the alarms in the TIE fighter erupted in her ears, and the panic of the pilot elevated her heartbeat.

She clenched her fist suddenly, the tightness of her nails against her flesh causing her eyes to fly open in time to see a pile of scrap heap fly at them and disintegrate in a fiery fury when it slammed into the shields. She reached out her other hand and caught another ball of jet and crushed it, too. The knowing satisfaction that she was defending her family washing over the fog, brought to her focus Ben as well as the officers that stopped their task to see her reach out and crush TIE after TIE.

SWSWSW

Ben moved towards Poe, eyes still fixed on Rey. "Have your officers prepare a jump to lightspeed," He commanded, "She won't be able to keep this up when the _Finalizer_ arrives."

Poe whirled on him, "'When?'"

Ben dared to look at him, and nodded gravely. "Hux has been notified of your location. Trust me, he's coming."

Poe looked from him to Rey, then back again. "You ever know anyone who can do that?" He gestured to Rey.

Ben nodded slowly, "Snoke. I never tried it, I knew the consequences."

"Should she be doing this?" Poe demanded, flinching as a TIE obliterated before their ship with an earsplitting _BANG!_

Ben watched, feeling the Force swirl like a hurricane around Rey. She moved, one hand reaching out for a TIE, another tracing her next victim with an absent hand, her footwork perfect for a swordswoman or a mother washing laundry. She was absolutely perfect in that moment.

"No," Ben breathed, licking his lips as he watched her. "No one should. That's why it's so interesting. Very few have ever had the strength to attempt it before."

SWSWSW

Rey continued crushing, ignoring those behind her in favor of those that zoomed beyond the windows. What started out as twenty or so jets was now eight and dwindling. She couldn't stop, knowing that they could come back and murder her family. She grabbed the last jet, feeling it struggle against her in sheer panic, and squeezed her hand closed, smiling. She inhaled, feeling the balance of peace wash over her, but it was muted. The star destroyer remained, and within it were battalions of Storm Troopers and it's own cannons. It, too, needed to be eliminated to keep her family safe.

"Rey, that's enough," Ben's voice cooed behind her. He had moved closer to her, concerned.

"They'll hurt my family," She murmured, feeling the dimensions of the star destroyer. "They'll hurt them."

"The effort will hurt _you_ ," Ben pressed, coming closer.

"I don't care," She murmured back, lifting her hands out. "For my family, I would die."

She seized the bow of the Star Destroyer with one hand, the stern with another, her fingers tightening. At once, her nose began bleeding and her body twitched, but she held on. A growl ripped from her chest as slowly she pulled her hands apart from each other. The Star Destroyer shivered, pieces of paneling shooting off it to flutter into space.

"Rey," Ben's voice was in her ear now, his hand touching her hip. "Rey, let go."

She screamed, pain wracking her body as she flung her arms apart, splitting the Star Destroyer in half, shards of its hull splintering off like water droplets. Spots dotted her vision as she released the Force, and the world shifted, Ben's arms quick to catch her and lean her back. Voices spoke around her… Poe's voice, commanding "Scramble the jets to rescue any survivors."

Ben's face came into focus, his eyes darting about his head until they settled into the right spot. "Did that feel good?" His calm voice filled with jest.

"No," She breathed.

"And that, my young apprentice, is why the Jedi use jets instead of the Force to take down Star Destroyers."

Rey looked at him, her chest heaving so much that her words came slowly, "I… needed to defend…"

"I know," He said softly. "Now you know, don't do that again."

She inhaled, and blinked slowly. "I can't… move my legs."

"Can you move your arms?" Rey nodded, lifting her arms so feebly she might as well have been underwater. "Wrap them around my neck. Come on, you can do it."

SWSWSW

Finn stood beside Poe, his jaw nearly on the floor as he watched Rey willingly grip onto Ren's shoulders, her nose barely brushing his neck. He was… gentle, with her, carefully drawing her up against his chest and daring to turn his face so that his lips brushed against her drooping eyelid, almost begging for a kiss. Ren faced forward, his resolve hardening as he stepped away from the window towards Finn.

He stopped the moment he reached Poe. "They need training." He growled, "Anything less, and you'll kill them with your demands." With that, he moved away down the corridor.

A shiver ran down Finn's spine and he straightened, his jaw closing as his eyes met Rose's, her same reaction to feeling it, too. It was… nothing. Nothing that they could describe. It was merely a _feeling_ , than a word. But that feeling beckoned to them and only them so much so that Finn made a gesture of dismissal towards Poe and followed Rose out the room, wordless.

 _Please Review!_


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Kaydel Connix watched Kylo Ren through the interrogation glass window, noting how he hadn't stopped pacing in nearly three hours. The entire ship was asleep, all except for them. She wouldn't sleep so long as he was on board. Not to say she wasn't tired, she had pulled a nearly twenty four hour shift filled with regular vigilance followed by identifying any possible First Order survivors from Rey's massacre. But, as she watched Kylo Ren pivot on perfectly balanced heels, she shook her fatigue away. She would keep both eyes locked on him, even if it made her look like an oscillating fan as she did it.

"Hey," A calm, kind voice called behind her.

Kaydel turned and sighed, seeing Poe come into the room, that knowing look on his features. "I'm not leaving," She warned.

"I wouldn't expect you to," He told her, moving to stand behind her and touched her elbows. "I don't trust him either."

He kissed her cheek, then wrapped his arms around her waist. "He's out of your life, Kay-ko."

"No, he's not." She growled, leaning into his chest. "He's right there," She gestured with a jut of her chin. "And don't say he can't hurt me anymore, because he did. He hurt you, he hurt our fight, that's what he did. And Rey struts in like there's nothing wrong, like he didn't do any of this." She inhaled deeply, shoulders moving to brush her earlobes, then exhaled. "She's compromised. She's in love with him."

"I know," Poe told her. "That's why I'm having her sent to Ach-To. She wants to learn to be a Jedi, and he's willing to teach her."

"What exactly would he be teaching her?" Kaydel scoffed.

"Hey, look at me," He moved his hands to turn her waist.

She faced him, her eyes looking to his shirt even as he pulled her close.

"This is the break that we've been waiting for, Kay-ko. Those plans he gave us? They're worth their weight in solid gold. And to have two of the greatest Jedi in the galaxy fighting on our side? Not to mention what Finn and Rose can do when they've been trained? We've been hurting for this moment, Kay. We really have."

Her eyes met his, "I don't have a family because of him,"

"Me neither," Poe assured her, rubbing her back. "But what we have, he can't touch."

His lips brushed hers, causing her body to ease a fraction. She spread her hands upon his chest and pushed him gently. "I'll see you later, Poe."

He nodded, understanding. "Good night, Kay-ko."

Poe walked away, leaving Kaydel to turn back to her foe. To anyone else, it would appear that he was completely oblivious to the goings on of his interrogators. But Kaydel knew, deep within her, that Kylo Ren was very aware that she had a boyfriend in Poe Dameron, just as he knew that it had been her who watched his every move, his every breath, until he left her alone just as he did when Uncle Luke took him away.

SWSWSW

Ach-To

Rey looked at Finn and Rose as they sat nervously on the _Millennium Falcon_. She faced forward and guided the ship into the atmosphere, "Pulling into Ach-To airspace now," Rey told Chewbacca.

He grunted, a genuine sound rather than a word.

"How long are you going to give me the silent treatment, eh?" She asked him, looking his way.

He growled, casting her a disgusted glance.

"I know what he did," Rey told him, dropping her voice. "But I couldn't let you hurt him. I know you wanted to. _I_ wanted to the first time I saw him… afterwards."

Chewbacca shrugged his head and shoulders, still grunting nonwords. Rey mashed her lips together and turned back to her flying.

The ship sliced through the clouds into a typical, overcast day on the water logged planet, dotted with island chains. Rey's chair moved back slightly and Finn's face came into her peripheral.

"This is it?" He asked, lips agape.

"Almost, but yes." Rey grinned. "This was where I found Luke Skywalker."

"Master Luke, out here?" The brassy voice of C-3PO called out, his metallic feet tapping against the tiles of the ship's floor (Rose had easily reattached his head as soon as they boarded). "I could hardly believe it."

"Maybe that's why he was out here," The quiet engineer told him, half of a smile on her features.

Rey inhaled, eyes darting around the islands. "We will need to tell him," She said softly.

Chewbacca issued a low wail, He can wait until we land.

Rey didn't dignify that with a response.

They landed with a gentle _thump,_ Chewbacca immediately beginning the routine shutting down of switches as Rey stood from her seat and moved at once to the bunks that served as the detention hull. She opened the door and saw Ben sitting erect upright, waiting patiently with his face pointed towards the door. The moment he saw her, he smirked and shifted towards her.

Rey lifted a hand and his manacles clapped open, then fell to the floor as he stood. She moved to stand before him, her shoulders so light she felt she could fly and only his hands on her hips could keep her contained.

"We're here," She whispered to him.

He nodded, looking once over her shoulder before returning to her face. His feelings changed, he was saddened. "Rey," He began, "I don't think we should be together while I'm training you."

She leaned away, "Why?"

"Well, for starters I know that you're not going to like me some days because of the training I'll have you do. For another, you are the most advanced student I have, I'll need your help training Finn and Rose."

Rey nodded, knowing that she should step away, gather her belongings for an extended stay on this damp planet, collect the Jedi texts for Ben to read, and overall see where the Caretakers were to make a formal introduction, but her feet stayed planted, staring at him. What she wanted the most, could feel it like she could feel starvation, was a kiss. She leaned towards him, hoping, willing him to kiss her.

He bit his bottom lip and leaned away, closing his eyes. "C-3PO," He muttered.

The rhythmic clunking was unmistakable and allowed for Rey to take one step backward just in time. "Captain Rey! Captain Rey!" He called, "It appears that there is a large population of troublesome avian birds on this island. Should I be worried about their excrement on my circuits?"

Rey couldn't help but guffaw and smile, "No, Threepio. So long as they don't land on you."

The protocol droid popped his head into the room, and looked instantly from one person to the other. "Oh, my apologies, it appears I have walked in on a moment."

"Captain Rey was informing me that we had landed, C-3PO," Ben told him, "Nothing more."

"Oh," He brought his body into full view, prompting Rey to take another step away from Ben. "Well, then, I should inform you that Chewbacca is none too pleased to be back on this system as the last time he came, those avians were a source of great frustration."

"Yeah, that's the only reason he's upset," Rey sighed. "Alright, let's go so that Chewie can depart."

"It's just going to be us?" Ben asked, halting Rey in her place.

She turned to him and nodded, "Us and Threepio. I cannot speak the native language, so he's coming to lend a hand."

A twinge of electricity zinged through the air, causing a shiver to run down Rey's arms. They were alone. If for whatever reason Ben decided to turn against them, there would be no one to stop him. Just her. If she fell, then all he would have to do was wait for the _Millennium Falcon_ to land and he would have a spaceship. Assuming he could kill Chewbacca, which, as Rey unlocked the drawer that kept his lightsaber, was more a matter of when than could.

"Where are those textbooks?"

Rey turned to face him, crossblade hilt in hand. "Finn has them. I told him to carry them while I released you."

Ben shrugged and took his lightsaber, clipping it to his belt. "We will be needing Kyber crystals if you are to make your own lightsabers."

"We're going to make our own lightsabers?" Rey squealed, turning her body completely to him.

Ben nodded, "It's part of your training, isn't it?"

"Neat!" Rey grinned, following him into the corridor towards the open ramp. "Where did you make your lightsaber?"

"In the training academy with Luke," He peered down at her, the beginnings of a smile on his features. "He showed me how to make them, but said my red crystal was too cracked for use, ordered me to throw it away. I kept it, and used it later."

"You cut and welded the metal yourself?"

Now he smirked, "You like making things?"

"I've never made anything like that before," She told him, the smell of the salt ocean and damp air perfuming the freighter entry.

They reached the ramp and Ben looked up, seeing the fields of green grass and moss growing over and around light gray rocks, the sounds of crashing waves and calling Porgs echoing around them. Rose and Finn were already there, bags in hand, looking around at their new, temporary home.

"This was it?" Ben breathed in gentle awe, his brown eyes forming a new color of warm brown as he looked around. "This was where Luke hid?"

Rey nodded, looking around herself. "This is where the first Jedi temple was built, and the Caretakers keep it ready for the next batch of students."

Ben swallowed, seeming to ignore her. "This was where he hid from me."

"From everyone," Rey told him. He looked down at her, but said nothing. "He closed himself off to the Force here."

Ben nodded, his eyes still sweeping the area until they settled on the rocky climb to the Caretaker's village. "Is that the way?" He gestured with a quick jut of the chin.

"Yes," Rey answered, her calves already twitching at the long hike to the village.

"Hmm," Ben hummed, walking down the ramp towards Finn and Rose.

Rey followed him, sensing the Force for their feelings. They were excited, Finn more than Rose at the sight of such an ocean, and smell of salt water. Rose was more glad of the travel and closeness to Finn than of the task ahead of them. Ben's feelings, were a bit harder to read. He was curious of this place where they were to stay, but they were mixed with anxiety and another emotion Rey couldn't put her finger on. He was nervous about being a teacher, thrust into the position so quickly with students he didn't exactly care for. He inhaled, and turned his head towards said students. His anxiety washed away and replaced itself with authority.

"Listen up," He commanded, Finn's head snapping to him the moment he spoke. "We're going to meet with the natives. If I bow, you bow lower. Sign of respect, they need to know who to go to."

Rose said nothing, and Finn flinched a sort of acknowledgement.

"Yes, Master Ren," Rey called.

Ben turned to her, his features firm. "You will always be by my side. You are my apprentice, my second in charge."

Rey beamed even as Finn and Rose exchanged uncomfortable glances.

"Is that understood?" Ben turned to them, sending their faces forward.

They hesitated, then Rose murmured, "Yes, Master Ren."

Finn stayed silent, a fire fuming within him. Ben snorted at him and turned to Rey, gesturing once with a jerk of his head. She crossed quickly to his side, feeling, knowing, that in some way this was a challenge to Finn of some kind. But what, she couldn't say, nor had the time to ask as Ben took off up the thousand steps, his movements lithe and quick.

SWSWSW

Finn awoke with a jolt, his heart hammering to something dangerous. He jumped from the reed palette that had served as his bed and dressed quickly. He burst from the stone hut that had been designated his before he could even think to grab his blaster. The day was cool, the sun and the porgs had yet to completely rise, resulting in a bluish gray light to match the skin tone of the short grey aliens moving sleepily about the village.

"Rey?" He called, his voice shaking.

One of the aliens turned to peer curiously at him, a heavy looking fishnet in it's hands, but otherwise nothing happened.

Finn dodged around one of these aliens carrying a basket of smoked fish, and flew up the stone steps as fast as his palpitating heart would allow, and whirled around. Nothing. No one.

"Rey!" Finn screamed, his voice muted against the mountain.

"Finn!" A voice called back at him, equally agitated.

He whirled around, the grass brown in the purple morning light, and saw Rose rushing after him, her face also a picture of panic.

"Finn! What's happening?" She cried, eyes wide.

"I don't know, have you seen Rey?"

Rose shook her hair, strands sticking to her face in the cool morning. "She wasn't in her hut!"

Finn looked up, a soft pull beckoning him towards a stony path that would lead them higher to where they might overlook the entire island.

"Come this way!" He commanded, taking her hand and guiding her, running, up the path.

The path led to a clearing outlined with dozens of grey rock pillars partially taken over by moss and low-cut grass. Sitting in the middle of this clearing, legs crossed and body completely placid, was Rey. Sitting across from her in an almost similar fashion, was Ren whose face was turned towards Finn and Rose, his face uplifted in amusement.

"Good morning," He purred, prompting Rey's eyes to flutter open and look at them.

She immediately grinned, "It worked!"

"Surprised?" Ren asked her, still looking to the new arrivals. He gestured towards Rey with his hand, "Join us."

Finn exhaled the same time Rose did, blowing what could have started a hurricane of disappointment. They moved, Finn taking a seat next to Rey.

"You okay?" He asked, crossing his legs.

"Yeah!" She chirped, "That was neat!"

"What was?" He frowned.

"You weren't awake," Ren answered. "It's almost dawn."

"You expect us to be awake at the crack of dawn?" Finn demanded, a rut in his mind reminding him that this was not an unusual request. He had gotten up a lot earlier before for many days straight.

"I don't care when you wake," Ren told him, "So long as you do this first lesson for three hours before every session."

Finn, Rey, and Rose straightened, determined to learn. Ren exhaled, and parted his lips. "The Force is an energy that moves between all things. It is the diviner of futures, it is the mouthpiece to feelings, it revolves around everything and everyone. The Jedi, the Sith, the Knights of Ren, they are and were powerful because they can access it. That is the very basis of these organizations, if you cannot access the Force, then you are nothing to them. That being said, the Force is not everything. Physical skill and endurance, discipline and determination are what separate the organizations from each other. Jedi and Sith were skilled priests of their respective religions, the Knights of Ren are knights. Different codes, but all with one thing in common," He inhaled, looking to the three of them before finishing, "The Force.

"Your first lesson and outstanding command is to access the Force for a minimum of three hours each morning. I don't care if you're tired of counting ants in their colony, you will feel that ant's body, the grains of sand it carries, the blades of grass it navigates through. You will feel the island shifting on this system, you will want to move with the current in the sea."

"And, h-how do we do that?" Rose asked.

"Easiest way? Close your eyes," Ren commanded.

Rey's eyes immediately shuttered shut and she exhaled. Finn looked at her, then at Rose, seeing the same confusion on her face.

"If you want to do it the hard way, I can throw you off the cliff."

"Ben," Rey chided softly, but opened one eye to peer at Finn. "It's okay. I did it, too." She closed her eye and inhaled deeply.

Finn looked forward, Ren's eyes fluttering shut as well, and closed his eyes.

"Reach out from within," Ren's voice told them softly. "What do you feel?"

I feel like peeing, Finn thought.

"I don't feel anything," Rose's voice called. "I don't think-"

"I didn't tell you to think," Ren snapped, his monotone soft. "I told you to _feel_."

"I feel the dawn," Rey's voice piped, her voice was lazy, her sound low. "I feel the darkness receding. The island… it's waking. But things are going to sleep."

Finn dared to peek at her. She was leaning forward, her eyeballs shooting around beneath her eyelids, her fingertips barely touching the grass beneath her. She was completely at ease. Completely consumed by the Force.

"I feel chaos," Ren muttered, his positioning before them the same as Rey, "Surrounded by routine. I feel hunger, and satisfaction."

"Balance," Rey whispered, smiling.

"Balance," Ren repeated.

Finn closed his eyes, the crash of waves over rocks reaching out to him. He couldn't do anything more than picture the waves rushing over a tan beach, pushing rocks over unstable sand and black rocks. After a time, he heard the screeching of porgs, calling to each other like sirens in a spaceship, hearing them flap their wings as they flew from space to space. Possibly feeding their young worms that wriggled in protest, in nests secured to hold the hatchlings above sharp rocks.

Finn slumped forward in time to feel a rock whiz by his temple, both actions startling him awake. He whirled in his place, looking first to Rey and Rose who both sat with their eyes closed, then to Ren who, in the same state, turned to Finn. "Your snoring is annoying."

This is stupid, Finn thought to himself.

"If it is stupid, why did you not get hit by the rock?" Ren opened his eyes.

A shock went through Finn's body. Firstly, that Ren was reading his mind, secondly, was that really the Force? Or was he simply that lucky?

Ren gave a short snort and turned to Rey, a soft smile touching his lips. "Rey," He called, "Where are you?"

"Space," She muttered. "The nebulas are… moving."

"Come back to the island, Rey." Ren told her softly. "It won't do you any good to be beyond your present."

Rey muttered something that sounded like agreement, but Finn wasn't too sure. Ren on the other hand moved his gaze to Rose, his smile fading. Slowly, he looked her up and down with his eyes. To see him appraising her, Finn felt his chest clamp and his breathing deepen. Rose was innocent, she had nothing to do with Ren and he knew it.

He smirked, the features upon his face rearranging to look hungered, excited almost. "You're going to be fun," He muttered to himself.

You're not going to put a finger on her, Finn thought fiercely, hoping Ren was reading his mind.

Ren looked down to his crossed legs and swatted away a bug that flew close to him before closing his eyes and lifting his chin, completely absorbed in the Force.

For three, tedious hours, Finn, Rey, and Rose felt the Force. Finn had tried to focus, but failed horribly. He couldn't sit there with his eyes closed while a predator eyed his friends like he did. So, he closed his eyes just enough so that his eyelashes could allow blurred sight, and dug his fingers into the grass beneath him. The pain upon his eyes was sometimes more than he could bear, but he committed himself to doing it. No, he couldn't allow this. He didn't allow it on spaceships when jockey pilots called out to pretty, young officers and he wouldn't allow it here on this island in the middle of nowhere.

"Alright," Ren called, his deep voice loud enough over the crashing waves of the receding tide. "Eyes up."

Rose's head snapped up fairly quickly, while Rey's eyes gradually opened and she smiled, completely content with herself.

Ren smirked at her for a moment, an expression Finn hadn't seen on him before, then addressed his students. "Go and eat. Do your chores, then meet me back here at midday."

SWSWSW

Breakfast was a type of rice porridge that lacked any flavor whatsoever, but was hot and refreshing on Finn's innards. The wind never seemed to stop unless they were indoors, sweeping over the cool ocean and spreading such bone chilling fingers over all who stood in their way. Finn ate next to Rose (Rey ate with Ren), and though the porridge was hardly worth bragging about, they devoured it in record time.

"It's not bad," Rose told him, wiping her mouth with her sleeve. "Makes me feel ready for the next step."

Finn looked up from his stone bowl at her and swallowed. "Rose, I-"

An alien, a female Caretaker, nudged his shoulder, her words lost on him.

"Um, what?" He asked, looking to Rose as a male Caretaker nudged her shoulder with a three fingered hand, gesturing to her with soup ladle filled with porridge. Finn turned back to his Caretaker, seeing the same type of ladle. "Oh! No, thanks. This is er, good." He placed a hand on his stomach and rubbed in a circle, "Mm!"

The Caretaker asked for his bowl with an outstretched hand and Finn gave it to her, watching her take it to a pile of other bowls that had been taken up from other Caretakers. When she moved, Finn could see Ren and Rey beyond her back. They sat close to each other, Rey scarfing her porridge down almost in the same starved way as when Finn had first met her. How long had she gone without eating this time? He shook his head, making a mental note to check her hut for scraps of food and rations stored from the last week in preparation for their trip.

The female Caretaker nudged his shoulder again, this time in beckoning to him. Finn hoisted himself up and followed her, seeing Ren rise to the summons of a Caretaker as well, both of them leaving their respective ladies alone to other Caretakers.

"Captain Finn!" A brassy voice called, inspiring a slight groan from Finn. "How was Jedi training?"

"Exciting," Finn told him, his tone of voice suggesting that it was anything but.

"Oh, I'm so relieved!" C-3PO declared, waddling close to him. "I've been conversing with these creatures, um, Caretakers they like to be called. They say they usually do not allow students to do chores, but will allow you to do them based on Master Ren's request."

"How did we get to be so lucky?" Finn groaned, looking at the pile of pale grey rocks the Caretaker led them to.

"It won't do you good to take and not give back," The deep monotone of Ren growled, startling Finn. He was not only tall, but his footsteps were downright silent, allowing the dark giant to tower uncomfortably close to Finn's nose. "These creatures shape their lives waiting for Jedi to come to the temple to train, the least you can do is show your gratitude."

He walked around Finn, cutting off any chance of rebuttal. Finn exhaled from his nostrils, shooting a glance at C-3PO before continuing on to the rock pile. At once, the Caretaker turned to the two men and squawked at them, gesturing with her arms to the pile, then to the stone pathway above them.

"Right," C-3PO said, "The two of you are to take the rocks from this pile up the path" He gestured with his shiny arm up a particularly slippery looking path, "That way the workers could begin shaping them to repair the pathway."

At once, Finn seized the cuffs of his sleeves. Ren simply stood there in his pristine black garments, looking up at the designated area for the rock pile. Finn couldn't help himself. He taunted, "Yeah, don't want to mess up those threads, huh pretty boy?"

The look on Ren's face all but slapped Finn's confidence. "No," He admitted, "I don't."

One hand, that's all it took, one hand extended to the pile and all of a sudden, all one thousand rocks lifted by themselves and whooshed up the pathway and rearranged themselves in a tight stack ready to be shaped and laid. The Caretaker stared at Ren, looking from him to the rocks, her mouth agape. Ren turned to her, gave a slight bow of his head, and turned his heel to head down to the beach.

"Have fun," He taunted Finn, calling over his shoulder.

SWSWSW

The Caretakers had been kind enough to lay out comfortable, working robes for Finn to wear when he sauntered to his hut, arms and limbs aching from lifting rocks to the mason's table and picking up the previous one to lay down on the sleek path where a second mason was busy adjusting and arranging the new, sturdy path. Once inside his hut, he found two roasted fish waiting for him, the smoke of the fire still heavy on their crisp bodies, and their feel almost scalding. At once Finn plopped himself down in front of the fish, his muscles screaming relief, and seized one, quickly picking at the meat with his fingers to sate his ravenous stomach. The morning porridge had helped, but with only one bowl, his stomach was more than a tad upset.

From what he could see on his way down the path, Rey and Rose had been selected to chip away giant mussels from rocks at low tide, and dug out onions and garlic heads, their harvest to serve as their evening meal. As for Ren, Finn could not say, though he was glad to know that he had left the girls alone. He ate quickly, hearing the girls' chatter near his hut then disappear as they retreated to eat and possibly to change.

The robes were brown, but smelled of the sea so much that he imagined a Gungan had made them under water and threw them onto the island. Wearing them, however, was so easy Finn imagined he could sleep in them. For the first time in years, he wished for a mirror to check his appearance. Mirrors were mandatory in the First Order, even when covered in a mask and body armor. Nothing, absolutely nothing, other than the white body armor could be showing when in guard formation. And when in black, class A non-combatant uniform, everything had to be so pristine Captain Phasma would barely glance at him, nod her head, and moved to x-ray someone else. In the Resistance, he had been too preoccupied with not blowing the ship up or guiding Rey into a black hole to care much about his clothes. Not that he had a great variety to boast of.

He finished tying his shoes, and stood, feeling an overwhelming peace surge through him. He inhaled, a gentle call onto his spirit soothing him. He was a padawan, an apprentice Jedi. He would stand up where others couldn't, he would defend those who could not defend themselves. Ren's face flashed in his mind, that face that looked hungrily at Rose. He swallowed, remembering when he crossed blades with Ren on Star Killer Base. He would do it again. For Rose, and for Rey, he would give his life willingly.

He kicked his foot forward and marched out of his hut, the sun shining on his face, ready to take on the day's lesson. Then promptly turned around and grabbed his fish bones because a Caretaker matron exited Rey's hut grumbling loudly about the half rotten food she found stored away.

 _Please Review!_


	15. Chapter 15

_Alright, you guys are quiet and that's scaring me. What am I doing right/wrong? Apologies for not posting on my usual weekend schedule, life is crazy right now. But for now, enjoy!_

Chapter 15

Rose had to restrain her hands behind her to keep her from squealing at the sight of Finn in his brown Jedi robes. He had always stood tall and proud, but now, he looked… official. Ceremonious. She walked with him shoulder to shoulder (as much as possible with the narrow steps) up the stone pathway to their classroom, sneaking peaks at him from under her untamed strands of hair.

"What are you smiling at?" He asked, catching her stupid grin.

Her heart sputtered. Say something dummy! She thought furiously. "These… robes are comfy."

She pulled at her own tan robes and then looked at him, willing him to compliment her.

"Yeah," He admitted sheepishly. "They're pretty nice."

"Oi! Wait up!"

Rose's hands fell to her sides as they both turned around to see Rey, dressed in _clearly_ feminine designed robes, trotting to them, her hair pulled back into her signature half up-half down hairstyle. Rose shot a glance at Finn, and felt her chest stiffen at the sight of him sputter and gape at the sight of her charcoal robes with flared skirt around her hips and calf high boots. Rose looked down at her robes, and sighed. She was perhaps too short and had to take boys clothes… again.

"You look pretty," Finn told her when she caught up to them.

"Oh, shut up!" She scoffed. "How am I supposed to fight in a skirt?"

It wasn't a skirt per se, more of a flared over robe that covered her hips and was secured by a belt. She could still do a variety of things in such a getup, but Rose blossomed slightly at her envious gaze over her simple, form fitting robes. "I'd rather have that," She gestured with her chin to Rose's simple tunic-like, tan over robe.

Rose lifted her chin, "Come on, let's see what Master Ren's wearing."

"I can hardly care if he's naked," Finn grumbled, his face darkening.

Rose caught Rey's giggle and flushed cheeks as she turned to hide her face from her.

They rushed to the grassy classroom area where they had gathered this morning, the sun poking in and out of the thick clouds. As soon as the cleared the landing, the three halted suddenly, two of three mouths agape. In that moment, Rose was absolutely certain of one thing: Finn did care if Master Ren was clothed or not. He really did care.

He stood an absolute specimen of a man wearing only high waisted black trousers, his torso thick and his arms sculpted with muscles. In his hands, he held Rey's staff and panted slightly, pacing around an erect rock before whirling the staff around in practice, halting a perfect inch before colliding with the smooth surface. As she watched, Rose couldn't deny it: he was a true artist. His steps were precise, light, and his swings of the staff were so quick and well placed it was almost like watching a dancer entertain.

"Borrowed my staff?" Rey called, moving forward and calling them out of their stupor.

Master Ren turned towards her, his eyes sweeping her frame in an appreciative glance before setting the staff straight and tossed it to her. He shrugged slightly, "We're low on adequate supplies."

"Are we staff training today?" She asked with a grin, setting her staff next to her like an old friend.

"No," He answered, turning to Finn and Rose. "Still Force training." He waved them over, gesturing to stand next to Rey.

They arranged themselves in the same manner that they had that morning: Finn, Rey, then Rose. Master Ren looked at the three of them assembled before him, then stepped back and took a flagon of water from it's grassy resting spot, ripping out the cork.

"FN-2187, front and center." He commanded in a low voice, then took a long draw of water.

A chill shot down Rose's spine and she dared to peer at Finn. Finn stayed exactly where he was, his chin lowering. Rose couldn't brag about her use of the Force to a mole hill, but she did feel something that morning. Something that sounded very similar to what Rey had described of the Force. If that was true, then the feeling of hate that exuded from Finn buried the sun, and sent a sudden whip of wind around their legs.

"My name," Finn growled, "Is Finn."

Master Ren shoved the cork back into the flagon and tossed it, the empty hull hitting the grass with a soft _thump_ , and glared at him. "You are what I name you. I name you what the Force tells me. You are FN-2187." He faced him, and pointed to the ground in front of him, "Now, come."

Finn took three steps forward, and with each step Rose felt her dread rising. Beside her, Rey shifted and adjusted her grip upon her staff. It was like light was meeting the darkness, but as to whom was what, they had no idea. Master Ren swaggered towards him, eyes hard upon him.

Suddenly his fist shot out and caught Finn in the stomach, causing him to double over. Rey's mouth opened in objection the same him Master Ren shot her a look, silencing her. He turned back to Finn, and circled him.

"You don't like me very much," He told him, his voice still calm and even, almost condescending. He put two hands onto Finn's back and shoved, knocking him onto the grass.

Rose dug her nails into her thigh to keep her from gasping or shouting at him.

"You think those robes make you something?" Master Ren taunted, lifting his hand. He closed his fist and motioned like he was tossing something. Instantly, Finn's belt unraveled and it and the over robe peeled away from his body, startling Finn, and revealing him to be half naked just like Master Ren (though admittedly with smaller muscles).

Finn scrambled to his feet, his muscles tense as he jumped into a fighting stance. Any sense of decorum feigned for his teacher melted off the moment he hit that stance. Fists brushing his jaw, Finn's upper lip curled over his teeth, and he snarled, "Let's go!"

Rose's hand shot out to Rey, and she nearly screamed, "Get back!"

Rey obeyed, too terrified to speak, scrambling backward until their backs felt stone of the ancient building, their eyes wide and welded to the scene.

The men met in the middle of the grass space, Finn throwing a wild punch, but missed. Master Ren shot a hand out and smacked Finn upside the head, a soft smile on his face. Finn glared at him, whirling around and launching himself again, throwing another punch that was blocked and returned with a slap to his face.

"No," Rey breathed, her eyes nearly popping out of her head. "He's deliberate."

"He's challenging his manhood," Rose whispered, "He's keeping Finn from thinking straight."

This continued for three slaps to Finn's face, each one raising his anger to boiling levels until at once, Finn was able to land a solid punch in Master Ren's gut. The problem was, Master Ren didn't do more than exhale and hunch over, before straightening and stepping back into the fray. He blocked Finn's punch, but this time landed an uppercut on his jaw. Finn staggered under the power of such a blow, but kept on.

The next thing that happened, Rose could not understand it. Master Ren changed his fighting style, making his movements more mechanical in motion. He and Finn moved so fluidly together it was almost like watching a choreographed dance. They even moved in a specific pattern, first back, then forth, diagonal, then Master Ren twirled Finn back so that he landed on one knee with his back to him and shouted so loudly the porgs fell silent,

"FN-2187, STAND ATTEN-HUN!"

Finn snapped to his feet, his back erect, his fists pressed to his sides in a soft bend, his face pointed forward. The position of attention, hard wired into every Stormtrooper.

The moment he did it, Master Ren leaned back, a smirk on his face. Finn on the other hand, exhaled quickly, his shoulders rising up and down and he dared to move his head, the feeling of disbelief washing over Rose and Rey.

"Face me," Master Ren commanded, his own voice breathy as his chest heaved softly.

Finn turned, the very motion causing shame to wipe over his face as he had done a military about face.

"Look at me,"

Finn obeyed, his features looking like he was on the brink of tears.

"You, are not, a Stormtrooper, anymore." Master Ren kicked his leg forward and circled Finn, staring him down while his voice remained even. "You weren't even one then, when we first saw each other on Jakku. You were just a scared kid doing whatever he could to survive. If you were a Stormtrooper, you would have fired your blaster, even if you didn't hit anything. You aren't even a member of the Resistance. If you were, your thoughts wouldn't be running off with Rey each time you have an opportunity."

Rose felt her heart shatter, and heard Rey gasp slightly.

"A farm on Lah'mu? A high roller's suite on Canto Bight?" He moved to stand directly in front of Finn, and pointed a finger at Rey, "Look, at, her,"

Finn turned his head to Rey, Rose doing the same, it seemed disobedient not to. Rey stood, a gangly pillar in charcoal grey robes. The wind rocked her, but she stood firm against it, waiting for Master Ren's next command.

"Rey is a Jedi not because she wears a set of robes and has a lightsaber. She is a Jedi because she will give her life to defend those weaker than herself, she will stand for what is right even at great personal cost. She is a Jedi because she finds her identity in a code that she feels to her core, Rey is a Jedi because she has no home, and yet knows she has a place in this galaxy! And you…" He trailed off, leaning away and looking Finn up and down. Finn looked back to Master Ren, the feeling of shame growing in the atmosphere.

"You cannot even look me in the eye, and you want me to make you a Jedi knight?"

Finn swallowed and exhaled through his nose, his eyes pointed to the ground. What Rose would have given to have been able to hear his thoughts at that moment!

Slowly, Finn slid his leg out behind him, and knelt before Master Ren, his eyes locking onto his. "Master Ren, I ask you to teach me the ways of the Force."

"I already taught you how to access the Force this morning," Master Ren chided, lifting his eyebrow, "You used that time fantasizing on how you were going to rescue Rose from me."

Rose's heart stopped, then hammered full throttle.

Finn swallowed, then parted his lips, "Then I ask you to train me to become a Jedi… like my forefathers before me."

Finn's face at that last statement flushed with confusion, as though he too was shocked by the words. Master Ren, however, smirked.

"It would be my genuine pleasure," He breathed. "Rise, Finn, Jedi apprentice."

Finn rose, his eyes capable of meeting Master Ren's. Master Ren hesitated, looking at him, then turned his head to Rey.

"Rey, take a run around the island. Once."

Rey hesitated, looking from him to Rose, then nodded and lifted her staff, and stepped away. The way Master Ren waited for her to leave completely before proceeding brought forth a deeper feeling of fear than what Rose was used to. When had she last felt it? Oh, right, when she thought she was going to be executed aboard the _Supremacy_.

Master Ren turned to Finn, "Access the Force."

Rose saw him shiver in the cold wind. "I can't do it," He told him. "I don't know how."

"I told you how to do it," Master Ren contradicted, shifting his weight. His look was expectant, like he was simply waiting for the verbal confirmation of his thoughts.

Finn closed his eyes and exhaled. Master Ren waited, watching him with either patience or annoyance, Rose could not say. Finn bit his lip and looked away, "I can't do it. I can't feel the Force."

"You can't admit you feel the Force?" Master Ren asked, taking a step back. "Alright, the hard way, then."

He strutted to Rose, standing close enough to take her shoulders with his hands if he wanted to. Master Ren looked down at her, prompting her eyes to float to him. Did he really have to be so… _big?_

"Use the Force," He commanded, staring at Rose.

"I can't!" Finn told him, "I don't have that gift like you and Rey do."

Master Ren's hand shot out and slapped Rose across the face, catching her off guard and sending her off balance.

"What was that?" She yelped, pressing her hand to her stinging cheek and ear.

"Rose!" Finn shouted, his eye wide.

Master Ren didn't answer. He lifted the fingers of his other hand, and Rose's arms smacked to her sides, her body unable to move.

"Use the Force," He repeated, lifting his hand once more and swept it across Rose's face.

He allowed her head to move, of course he would! Her hair flew out of it's tether, sticking to her face as tears of pain and helplessness seeped from her eyes. No! She thought fiercely, she would not cry! She would not cry! Stop it! Stop crying in front of him!

"Don't hit her!" Finn bellowed, but didn't move from his position.

"Make me stop," Master Ren taunted, a gleam entering his eye. He lifted his hand, raising it high enough for Finn to see, and called again, "Use the Force."

He brought his hand down to slap her again, Rose's eyes flew shut and she braced herself for the blow…

She opened one eye, the other following suit when she saw Master Ren turned away from her, his hand cupped an inch before her face, a half smile on his lips. She moved her eyes to Finn, and gasped.

His arm was extended, his look a tornado in the darkness. What was more, she could feel it. A something in the air, a tickle on the back of her neck whispering what he was doing. He was using the Force to grab Master Ren's hand. It wasn't a big grab, perhaps like a child's grip against a charged Fathier, but it was the Force.

"Very, good," Master Ren breathed. "That, is the Force."

Finn lifted his head a fraction, his feelings still exuding a deep seeded disgust. He inhaled once, then lifted his fingers.

"Oh, you want to hit me?" Master Ren demanded, his features snapping from proud to fierce.

Before Finn could do anything, Master Ren's other palm shot out to him, sending him flying over the waving grass, through the pillars of stone, and off the cliff.

"Finn!" Rose screamed, her feet lurching her from her post to the cliff to peer over the edge. This cliff overlooked the ocean, leaving little room for the porgs to roost over the lapping waves. It was a good thing, as Finn was caught by the frigid sea and allowed him to burst forth spouting salt water like a fountain.

"Finn!" Rose cried, on her hands and knees. "Are you alright?"

He spat what looked like a piece of seaweed and looked up at her. "Yeah, I'm good!"

She felt, rather than saw, Master Ren move to stand beside her. "When you swim to the shore, join Rey on her run around the island!"

Finn shot him a look of displeasure and muttered a word Rose knew to be a curse, but what it was exactly, she couldn't say. He spread his arms under the water and began to breaststroke towards the shore, the waves hardly bothering him.

"Now, it's time for you to learn the Force."

Rose whirled back to Master Ren, seeing him don his tunic and button it closed. She inhaled, her hair still flapping wildly in the wind.

"There's no innocent here for you to abuse in the name of 'teaching,'" She spat.

He snorted. "You're different than him," He jerked his head to the ocean, "You've already felt the Force."

"I felt the hand of a jerk, who takes advantage of his students!"

He looked at her, her nerves rising to peak levels in the quiet. "I'm not going to apologize for my methods. You knew what you were getting into when you let yourself come here."

The words, "I didn't have a choice!" bubbled to Rose's lips, but she swallowed them. She did have a choice. She chose not to let Finn be alone with Rey. Slowly, she stood, staring him down as best she could. "You killed my sister."

"I had nothing to do with… Paige's, death," He growled.

"Don't say her name!" Rose shouted, "You don't get to say her name!"

"And who the hell are you to give me orders?" His voice was calm, and he hardly blinked as he spoke. "You're a gifted engineer who couldn't find a place in the Resistance until Finn came and made you important. Your sister clawed her way to the pilot's seat, and… you?" He scoffed at her and narrowed his look, "Who, are you?"

SWSWSW

Rose was a true Rebel, Kylo observed as he walked behind her. She had heart, and was enough of a scoundrel to swallow her pride and milk him for what he was worth. He lifted the folded black cloth over her head and brought it down to cover her eyes, making her gasp and lean back suddenly into his chest.

"Wha…?" She started.

"Trust the Force," He told her softly. "You've felt it all day. You felt it this morning in your meditation, then picking up the oyster with the pearl on the beach. You've touched the Force, now I want you to embrace it."

Her shoulders eased slowly, and she moved her body forward to be covered. He tied the cloth fairly tight over her eyes, in case it should fly off in the pesky wind. He stepped away, moving around her as quietly as possible.

"Can you hear me?" He asked in a soft voice, barely above a whisper.

"Barely," She complained.

"Come forward," He commanded, his voice in the same tone, "Follow my voice."

She thrust her leg forward, followed by the other which promptly stubbed a rock and sent her forward in a half trip. She caught herself, and gave a snort of indignation.

"You know what it feels like to move on your own trust," He told her, "Now, reach out to the Force. Let it guide you."

She hesitated, then straightened slowly, her shoulders releasing their tension. Kylo waited, watching her as she practiced careful inhales, the Force prickling around her like fibres of fur bending to static electricity before a touch. A smile spread across his face, warming to the feel of her disciplining herself to feel precisely what he had commanded rather than her own thoughts.

Suddenly, he paused, and touched his face. His cheeks were taut, his lips wide. He rearranged his features to plain expressionless. But only a second passed before he began feeling the smile spread slowly at the feeling of pride swelling for this student. He couldn't remember the last time he smiled; did they always feel this good?

She stepped forward, her toes inches from a cluster of rocks that might have once been tiles. She moved, each careful step navigating her closer to him. Kylo took three steps back, one to the right, and waited. Rose followed him, slowly and with her palms out in case anything should bonk her, but she followed his footsteps almost exactly.

"Am I doing it right?" She asked, her voice a lazy whisper.

"Keep concentrating," Kylo told her, turning his heel and walking slowly away from her.

The island was peaceful, an easy escape into his own thoughts. The native avians, the porgs, were easily managed if he minded where they wanted to nest. Apparently, they liked to gather long moss, and there were some trees somewhere for twigs. They seemed naturally timid creatures, but came with an innate mischief known as curiosity and swooped around his head so close that he could feel the wind of their wings whip past his ears. He looked back at Rose, seeing her dodge the suicidal porg as though it was routine. Other than their screeches, the ocean roar filled Kylo's ears… and nothing more. He fought a shiver as he stepped over a root of some kind. He was completely alone to his own thoughts out here…

Kylo hopped over several rocks, the spray of the sea reaching out to him as he moved. He turned and crouched, watching Rose halt at the first rock. Her hands had relaxed so now she only looked to be making her way in the dark, and her lips were opened a finger's width. She hesitated, her head turning left then right.

Kylo licked his lips, "Are you coming?"

Rose's head moved to face him, and her lips closed. She bent her knees, and sprang forth, her body in a controlled running position, and landed on her feet. Before she could get settled, she hopped another two rocks in the same position until she was one rock away from joining Kylo.

"Stop there," He commanded. She obeyed, swaying with the wind as it had picked up since moving to this particular spot. "Now, take off the blindfold."

Obedient as ever, Rose reached back and pulled at the firm bow, revealing slanted pools of obsidian. She blinked once, seeing him crouched before her… then at the six-foot drop to the ocean below and gasped so loudly she almost lost her footing on the barely flat rock.

"Master Ren!" She shrieked, finding her balance with her arms on either side of her like propellers.

He chuckled softly, "You did well."

"Master Ren!" She shrieked again, looking from him, to the ocean below, (they were above kelp beds that looked like a sea monster, come to think of it), to him again.

He stood, positioning himself to where the Force directed, and leapt from his standing rock to hers, latching on to the rock beneath her feet, then launched himself to the rock behind her and climbed it, taking one last simple jump to the main cliff.

"Use the Force," He called back to her. "Trust it once, trust it a thousand times."

"I'm going to fall!"

"Only if you don't use the Force."

He walked slowly away, feeling if she moved or not. He sighed, not feeling the Force move around her. She was going to kill herself.

She must have leapt to one safe rock, but was so frightened her feet didn't find solid footing. Her screams narrated her movement. Kylo whirled around, arm extended, halting her mid fall. He exhaled through his nose, watching her panic at the sight of the kelp tendrils caress the surface of the water.

"There are three ways of falling right now," He shouted over the waves. "One will save you, one will severely hurt you and possibly kill you, the other will absolutely kill you. Use the Force, it will tell you which one to take."

She made eye contact long enough for him to drop his hand, letting her fall, head first. He turned his heel, and headed down the stone path, the splash of the ocean slight and he breathed a sigh of relief. She had pointed her arms in a last minute dive, saving her.

SWSWSW

Rey panted, her legs beginning to ache from her almost pointless run around the island. There had been a path, she observed, cut for her by students from long ago answering the same commands from their masters. She trotted up the steps to the Caretaker's village, hearing C-3PO's voice talking to the Matron.

"Hey!"

She turned, seeing a topless Finn trudge towards her, sopping wet and shivering.

"What happened?" She demanded, realizing as she halted that there had been a reason for Ben wanting her to leave after all.

Finn looked away, his look almost defeated. "He hit Rose."

"I'm going to kill him," Rey told him, turning her heel to head up the pathway, her chest tightening. Firm was one thing, abusing those weaker than him was another.

"Don't," Finn said, prompting her to turn with a frown. He had been so willing to murder Ben this morning. "I used the Force because of it."

"You did?" She exclaimed, grinning, then frowned. "Why?"

"To save Rose," He said. He shook his head, "Look, I don't know if I can do this. The Force, it's so different than from what I thought."

"It just takes practice, Finn." She told him, the tightness in her chest softening. "Come here, look." She turned back down where she came, pausing to make sure he was following her, and led him down the beach. Her shoes touched the firm sand, bringing a smile to her lips. Sand soaked with water, how far she had come from Jakku!

"Look, stand here," She told him, smiling. He stood next to her, his body exhausted from swimming. "Close your eyes," She commanded, her own eyes fluttering shut.

"I look stupid doing that," Finn sighed.

Rey looked at him, "Then look stupid. I look stupid for a moment and then I move rocks with my mind. I fought and defeated Kylo Ren with the Force. It's easy for me, but if you used it, then you are perfectly able to do all of that yourself. Just try it," She gave him a playful shove.

He half smiled at her and turned to the water, then closed his eyes. "Oh kay," He breathed.

"Reach out," She told him.

Immediately, he shot out his arm. Rey suppressed a laugh, looking at his limb waving patiently in the breeze. She lifted her hand and placed her hand on his elbow, pushing it down. "Reach out with your feelings. Feel the peace of the ocean, the chaos of the tide. Breathe,"

He inhaled deeply, his body looking like it was beginning to sway back and forth. Rey could feel him tap into the Force like turning on a light switch. The problem was, he didn't feel like he did.

"What do you feel?" She asked.

"An order," He whispered. "A belonging. The Caretakers… they need to be here."

" _You_ need to be here, Finn." She urged. "Now, find something to focus on. Something small."

She waited, watching him stand solidly in the chill breeze. He was handsome, she had to admit. He was softly built, with muscles less defined as Ben's, but was nonetheless nice to look at. Something rubbed against her legs and she looked down, then smiled. "Finn, look. Open your eyes."

Finn's eyes fluttered open, and he gasped, seeing pebbles begin to float on their own. He gasped, then looked to her. She giggled, "Yeah, this is what it's like."

He smiled, then spread his fingers wide and lifted his palms. The pebbles lifted around them, including the one beneath his shoe. He laughed, a breathy laugh laden with awe and disbelief. "The Force!"

"Yeah," Rey grinned. "This and a whole lot more."

The pebbles floated for moments more, then dropped suddenly, along with Finn's hands. "Is he worth it?" He asked, looking at her, smile fading.

She swallowed, then nodded. "Yeah, he is."

 _Please Review!_


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Finn climbed up the side of the cliff, the ocean waving like a thousand screaming demons trying to eat him alive. He could sense Master Ren reading one of the Jedi texts in the class area, and the temperature drop. It was going to rain again, meaning he had to hurry up. He grunted, pulling himself up, his fingers screaming as they gripped the rock. He pulled himself over the edge, panting. There he was, reading peacefully. The assignment was simple, tap him on the shoulder. That was literally it!

Finn swung his leg over the side, trying desperately to pull himself over and not fall like Rose had about a half hour earlier. Falling meant running a lap around the island, and those laps were starting to add up on the thighs. He rolled onto the precious rock, his entire body tired, and exhaled. Slowly, he heaved himself to his feet and moved towards Master Ren.

He had barely lifted his hand to cup his shoulder when Master Ren said, "I heard you the whole way up. Try again."

An invisible hand gripped the collar of his robes, almost cutting off his windpipe, and wrenched him over the grassy rock, launching him back into the ocean. Thankfully, he had gotten used to the cold water stabbing him, allowing him to scream muffled curses into the water on his way to the surface.

SWSWSW

Seriously, how hard is it to tap a guy's shoulder? After coming from her run around the island, Rose trudged slowly up the path to where Master Ren sat cross legged and reading. Rey was at the erect rock, twirling her staff on either side of her, doing her best to ignore Rose.

Rose exhaled, moving despite her aching calves, to Master Ren.

"Nope," He said, not bothering to look up. "Not even close."

He waved a lazy hand and Rose went flying over the cliff, the image of Finn staring at her from the beach as she descended.

SW

"What are they supposed to do?" Rey asked, feeling hard for Rose's resurface.

"Not sound like they're dying, for starters," Ben muttered. "Secondly, use the Force to guide them up here. There's twelve different ways and they honestly think two will do?" He shook his head and turned the page. "I can wait all day."

SWSWSW

Rey was a born teacher, Rose had to admit. Not only was she patient, she was full of practical knowledge that was reinforced by Master Ren. Rose had never been one for fighting, but with Rey, she learned to throw a proper punch, how to breathe when fighting, and even which parts of the body worked best.

Master Ren had to teach all three of them proper fighting techniques, though Rey was much farther along and aided in fixing Finn's and Rose's form. Jabs with the elbows and knees, proper punches, kicks that wouldn't displace joints, close hand-to-hand combat, all of it had to be broken down, and in Finn's case, rewired to work afresh (he knew standard Stormtrooper combat and Master Ren already proved that that could be beaten). Every six days, they would have a showcase day in which Master Ren would choose fighting partners and see how they would take each other out using everything they had learned that week and the weeks before.

Rose hit the rock, her jaw stinging from where Finn had hit it. She panted, watching him bounce from foot to foot in front of her, eyes flicking all over her body in anticipation for her next move. A deep bark echoed from the corner and Finn dropped his hands, retreating quickly to his corner where Rey waited with a flagon of water and a small footstool. Rose clamored to her corner, Master Ren's face immediately coming into view.

"Where's the Force?" He demanded, shoving her flagon of water to her lips. She drank greedily, her entire body hot enough to boil a giant gooberfish. He ripped the flagon from her and set it down. "You're not using the Force! He's too big for you and his muscles are too used to combat, you've got to rely on the Force." He grabbed her hand and tapped the heel of her palm twice, "This is how I want you to punch. Open hand, hit him here." He tapped her again. She nodded, panting.

Across the way, she could see Rey smiling, encouraging and coaching Finn with words lost on the wind.

"Don't quit," Master Ren commanded, "Don't quit. You can beat him."

His face moved out of the way and his bark once again resounded overhead. Rose jumped from her footstool the same time Finn did, the two of them meeting in the center. If there was one thing she had gotten right more times than fighting, it was latching onto the Force in a second. It told her to duck and she obeyed, swooping down to the grass the same time Finn attempted a full side kick. She jumped to her feet, latching on to his leg and whirled around, bringing him down with an abrupt scream.

Rey shouted at him to get up, she herself kneeling to the ground with anxiety. Rose rolled on Finn's body and whacked his chest with her elbow, barely registering that she still had his leg in hand. She scrambled to her feet and flipped him over, twisting his leg then shot her leg behind his knee and bent his leg forward, making his screams echo through the space.

"Enough!"

Rose dropped Finn's leg and scampered back, panting heavily and smiling.

She felt Master Ren's hand take hers and waited for Rey to finish turning Finn before raising her hand above her head and declaring, "Winner!"

Rose smiled, feeling the joy seeping to her toes as he placed in her hand the flagon. She took it, and drank, her feet propelling her forward. Finn did likewise, except he moved with a limp.

"Good job," He breathed, smiling before pulling her into a warm hug.

"You too," She told him, exhaling into his ear and inhaling the sharp pungent odor of sweat.

Suddenly, the Force surged around her, informing her of strong feelings surging. It wasn't her feelings for Finn (or even a flicker of jealousy from Rey), but came rather from Master Ren. He watched them congratulate each other, feeling for himself the genuine love that they shared even if in friendship. The Force told her of a hole in Master Ren's feelings, a hole that ached at the sight of them. They would support each other, look out for one another. But him, he had never felt this before. This was an ache he didn't know existed until this very moment.

They separated, their breathing slowing as Rey joined them. "You did good," She told Rose, her smile subdued at the loss of her team.

"Rey,"

They turned to Master Ren, seeing him sauntering towards them, his own combat gear of black tank top and usual high waisted trousers marking him ready. Immediately, Rey moved to stand just before him, waiting for his command.

He smirked, that smirk that was rarely seen. "Take position," He told her pointing to a place in front of him.

Rey grinned, almost dancing towards the middle of the grass, very close to him. Finn cast a tired look at Rose, followed by a half smile. At least as trainers, they could get a-

Rey and Master Ren bolted towards them, the Force blaring alarm at Finn and Rose.

SW

"I say," C-3PO told a young Caretaker, "Have you any cats on this island that make such a scream?"

The Caretaker, Noniga, shrugged.

"Oh what use are you, then?"

SWSWSW

Rey twirled her staff, savoring the moment of peace to herself. Rose and Finn were coming up in fighting training, but she would always be master of the staff. They had made a dummy of rocks stacked on top of each other, and Ben had given strict instructions that they were to treat that stack like a living person, so no pulling punches. She thrust the rear of her spear into the right side of the stack, causing a trickle of rocks, then the top to the left, felling more rocks, then lanced the whole thing sending the remaining rocks over the grass.

She smiled, her chest panting slightly, and began to stretch her hand out to the pile to reset them. Her hand recoiled, and she turned. She felt it, that silent pull that called to her when she first met Master Skywalker. It was still here.

Rey picked up her staff and turned, heading down the class area to where the Library was. She had pointed it out to Finn and Rose during one of their runs around the island, but she hadn't stopped to explore. It was black, the place where the great hollowed out tree once stood. Black, while around it green and avian life grew.

"What was this place?"

Rey looked to her left and saw Ben standing next to her, his eyes focused on the great burned stump.

"It was the library," She told him. "It's where I took the Jedi textbooks from."

He swallowed, his adam's apple bobbing. "Why is it calling us?" He breathed. "Why now?"

"I don't know. I don't even know why it was destroyed. It was… big. Solid, when I was here. Three people could walk into it."

They stood, shoulder-to-shoulder, looking at the ruins of the library, until a rough flicker brushed Rey's arm.

"Here," Ben told her, holding out a worn, ancient book. "I finished reading this one."

"Ben, do you think the Library is telling us to put the book back?"

Silence echoed between them and they looked at each other, then at the delicate, white paper book in Ben's hands. The corners of Ben's mouth twitched upward. "It would be like the Force to be a pedantic librarian."

Slowly, he turned his heel and made his way up the side of the charred tree trunk, looking around at where hundreds of students before him must have walked seeking knowledge from their masters. From where Rey stood, a small alcove within the burnt rock had formed, allowing Ben to gently slide the text into it, spine facing the wind, and step back.

At once, the Force-pull faded, prompting Ben to return to Rey's side. "Libraries are meant for sharing knowledge," He said, looking for a moment over his shoulder, as if checking to see if was still there.

SWSWSW

This was the routine of Kylo's apprentices for the next month. They awoke -eventually on their own- before dawn, then meditated on the Force for three hours. After meditation, they attended to the various sorts of chores the Caretakers presented them with. Finn was deemed the layer of stones and so was called upon to lay out new paths or to replace the walking stones that had come loose over time. Rose was an exceptional digger, having been raised on a mining system and so treated well the valuable oyster beds and various underground spices such as onions and garlic and even some root that when chipped apart made up their breakfast. Rey on the other hand had earned for herself a reputation for being messy and destructive, and so only did chores that could be supervised by one of the Caretakers or C-3PO.

Kylo himself was given task of fishing. The Matron had directed him to a cliff where Luke had been seen many times spearing giant carp and other fish from a thin ledge against a rock face. Half of his catch, Luke gave to the Caretakers, the other half he kept for himself. At once, Kylo took the impossibly long spear and pole vaulted to the ledge, his innards seeming to fall from him the moment he flew over open air and sea until he crashed, knee almost scraping the rock face, and lifted the spear, waiting patiently for a fish. He was, however, a far cry from prodigy spear fisher. The first few days, he only managed to spear salmon about as long as his arm.

There has to be a trick to this, He thought to himself, lifting a skewered salmon to rip it from the toothy tip.

Thunder ripped across the sky suddenly, the startling jolt causing the spear to slip in his hands. Kylo clamped down on it, the movement shaking the dead fish. Carefully, he moved his hand down the spear, clamped it firmly, then brought it up, doing the same with his other hand until he could safely wriggle the salmon off the end.

Walking back to the village with his catch, Kylo heard nothing. The wind ruffled his black cloak, and the spray of the ocean had dampened his borrowed dark brown robes, but he heard nothing. He thought he had gotten used to such peace, a newborn calm birthed when Snoke's voice in his head abruptly silenced two years ago. But, since being on this island that familiar, unnerving calm settled over him. It was much like a chill settling into the bones that couldn't be shaken by an ordinary blanket.

The wind rushed over him, bringing with it a new smell: jet fuel. Kylo exhaled and adjusted his grip on the salmon. Poe Dameron and Chewbacca. Great.

He took his time walking to the village, noting that the shy Caretakers were making a hasty retreat to their stone huts, leaving Rey standing in the middle of the village, a basket of wet laundry in hand. At once, she turned to him, her mahogany eyes glimmering with joy.

"Poe and Chewie!" She smiled.

Kylo smirked, looking at the laundry in her hands. "Better not get into more trouble with the Caretakers."

Rey glanced quickly at her basket. "Oh, right," She said before scampering to the washbasin and setting the wicker basket down. All Kylo saw of Rey was a blur of charcoal robes running past him to where Finn and Rose were undoubtedly gathering as well. Kylo, on the other hand, sauntered to the smoke house where the filleting knives were kept and seated himself, tossing the salmon next to the pile of fish yet to be prepared.

He concentrated on the older pile of fish, listening to the knife as it _shink_ ed out of the sheath, and coughed upon the whetstone. It was an obsidian blade, black as his cloak, and cut nicely into the small carp's flesh. This fish didn't make a squelching sound as the salmon did. This one made more a leathery sound, one that intensified when he hit the bone.

A wail sounded over him, the grey sky darkening for a moment. Kylo looked up, his grip on the knife tightening as his eyes locked with the brown tenderness of Chewbacca's gaze.

For a moment, Kylo was Ben again. Ben hiding in a compartment in the _Millennium Falcon_ , Ben begging Uncle Chewie to keep quiet and let him fly with his father. Ben, kicking and screaming as Chewbacca lifted him from the compartment before pointing to the dangerous heating wires that would make his first ride a short and painful one.

He lifted a fillet of fish, "Couldn't resist?"

Chewbacca looked at the fish, then at him, a betraying purr rumbling from his throat. The Wookiee shook his head.

"They're alive," He told him, returning to his work "They keep getting back up and asking me to teach them things." He tossed the fillets onto the pile and discarded the carcass in the mulch pile.

Chewbacca wailed.

He flicked his eyes up at him, "I am not, controlling Rey. She's here because she wants to be. And believe me, I've been tried in her courts for Han more times than I can count."

Chewbacca growled, then turned his heel and marched off. He watched him go, remembering when Uncle Chewie would turn around and give Ben a playful wink.

Kylo flipped the filleting knife, and continued working.

Poe Dameron's trip was a short one. It seemed more a welfare check than a supplies drop. The Master and the Commander exchanged cordial greetings and updates in short, polite sentences. Kylo knew what Dameron was looking for, however, and he was unwilling to give it just yet. He knew, just as he suspected Rey guessed it, that the first blueprints for the half completed First Order ships had finished downloading and Dameron wanted to get them. Kylo would not give him the satisfaction, not just yet. At two months, his students were very much like babies, still trying to discern their own voices as well as walk.

"When do you think they'll be ready?" Dameron had asked, watching Kylo fillet his last salmon.

Kylo took his time glaring at him, "When I say so."

With that, Dameron turned his heel and took off to interrogate C-3PO. Kylo didn't care. He simply stood, brushed the flecks of fish off his robes, and took the bucket of water to begin filling the giant stew pot for their dinner or drinking water.

SWSWSW

Rey awoke with a start. Immediately, she looked to her window, hoping the sun hadn't yet risen. She frowned at the pitch darkness, rising slightly on her palette. She flung the blanket off her and found her shoes, listening all the while for the screeches of porgs and…

"Captain Rey! Captain, are you awake?"

Rey felt her way to the door and pushed aside the curtain, "Threepio? What's the time?"

"I cannot say for certain Captain Rey, but it appears to be sometime after midnight."

"What's wrong?" She asked, looking at him for signs of injury, then over his shoulder.

"Well, I cannot say, Captain, only… Master Solo, I mean, uh, Kylo Ren, seems to be sleepwalking."

"What?" Rey's frowned deepened. Suddenly, she looked up and saw a beautiful, round silver moon casting an irresistible bright light over the island of Ach-To. The moss and grass waved gently, cast in a hue of green she had never seen before, the rocks dusted with moisture glittered, and even C-3PO looked different in the luminescence.

"Oh no," She breathed, her heart sinking to her knees. "Where is he, Threepio?"

"I last saw him going north of the island, towards an area the Caretakers call the 'Temple.'"

At once, she bolted, running to the stone temple within the cliffside, the place where she had gone to find her parents. She felt it again in her chest, that pulse of the Force that awoke her, and she increased her pace, head turning every which way for him.

A scream ripped through the calm, a deep voiced, agonizing wail that resounded over the rocks and sleepy nests. Rey sent out the Force, feeling for Ben. He was in pain, a deep pain that she felt when Han Solo died.

"Don't you do it!" She screamed. "Don't you dare leave me Ben Solo!"

She bounded up the hillside, using all fours to pull herself to him, seeing him stand at the farthest ledge of the pointed outcropping where she had first learned to use the Force.

"Stop!" She shouted, shooting out her hand and yanking him from the getting shorter ledge and hurtled him into the cave. He rolled shoulder over shoulder, until he hit the back wall, his eyes wide and gasping. Rey, fueled now by pure adrenaline, trotted to him, her eyes searching his body.

He tried to rise, but she stopped him, shooting his body rigid from the panicked clawing he had just attempted.

"Ben, calm down."

He panted, eyes searching the roof of the cave, his panic rising.

"Ben," Rey told him, forcing her voice to be softer. "It's alright." She sat down behind him, and lifted his heavy body until she could position each of her legs on either hip, and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "It's alright," She breathed into his ear. "I'm here. Listen to me, focus on my voice."

In the darkness, his eyes were onyx grenades, his whole being ready to explode. Rey whispered into his ear, shushing him, rocking him even. He was cold to the touch, a stark contrast to when he had held her on the _Nest_.

Rey kissed his earlobe and sighed, "On Jakku, we called it the 'silent scream.' In the desert, there was no one for miles. Nothing between neighbors but silence." She swallowed, and when she blinked she saw the vast dunes of Jakku tanning in the relentless sun.

"We would see them in the distance. Sometimes we could see them before they started the Walk. They had a glazed look on their faces, the perfect image of hope lost. That's when we knew that the silence had gotten to them. The quiet… nothingness."

Ben continued to pant, but his body melted into her, accepting her soft medicine. Rey continued:

"First, they would stare, but not see anything. Then, they would start to scream. It's not in anguish, or anything in particular. But a hope of ending the silence if even for a moment. Some even called it hope's dying bell. After that, after the last ability to scream is gone and all is left is a hurt throat, comes the Walk. The Walk was the most dangerous thing, because the screamers were beyond caring. They knew they were seeking water, some semblance of preservation, but it didn't matter to them, really. They would walk through the desert… and they wouldn't come back."

She swallowed, Ben's breathing slowing beneath her open palm.

"I never made it to the Walk. But I screamed. I screamed, so I could hear something else. So I could stop waiting for the Teedos to make life interesting, or for Ankar Plutt to stop eyeing me for one of his harems. I screamed, hoping my parents would hear me. That they would come for me and take my hand, even if they did nothing but just, stand there, someone would be there."

Ben stopped panting, but his heart still raced, the last runner of his deadly race.

"A voice always came to me, though. A soft voice from a man, he would always come. Always tell me to come inside, to get out of the sun, or to go to the known watering holes. I thought that would be it for me, but he was so kind to me. My moment in the Silence passed, and I began to feel myself again."

She trailed off, Ben's heartbeat slowing to the point his head lolled to rest in her stomach, the pressure an uneasy welcome.

"You don't hear voices, do you, Ben?" She asked, "Not anymore. You're completely alone now, your own thoughts are safe, now. That's why you've been restless, lately? You haven't heard anyone's voice in your head that you haven't put there yourself. No one policing you for weakness," She kissed his temple, "No one manipulating you to do anything you don't want to do. For me it was the opposite. I was alone, and so never had the problem of other people's thoughts."

"You're not alone," Ben's voice rasped.

Rey smiled, warmth spreading through her. "Neither are you, Ben."

SWSWSW

Rey didn't return to her hut, that night. She waited for Ben to sit up from her lap, and move beside her. Then his hand covered hers as they talked in the still night. Then they moved to their sides with the intent of sleep, but how could she sleep at a time like this? How could she ignore the first confession of hearing Snoke's voice in his head when he was a boy, hearing it particularly loud when Han would neglect him for some far off mission. Then hearing it whisper in the darkness when his mother would watch him from the corners, always with suspicion, always with a spiteful, "Just like your grandfather."

As their talk faded into small whispers, she couldn't help but study him, absorbing the sight of him in the darkness. He was so handsome in these moments! His hair, always wavy, always tamed and untamed at the same time. His brown eyes, dark in the moonlight, but inviting like a cup of warm tea. She studied him, admiring the scar across his eye, how it seemed both wicked and perfect in an imperfect manner. His nose, just the right size, and his lips, oh his lips so plump and kissable it should be a crime!

He too studied her, moving his eyes from hers to her nose, then to her lips. When his voice finally told him that it had had enough expression, he resolved to listening, hearing her as she told him of life on Jakku and how vastly different it was to life with the Resistance.

"Have you ever seen the sunrise, Ben?" She asked suddenly, noticing the shades of purple lighten around them in the cave.

He nodded. "Once," He rasped, motioning to touch his throat. "But, I was wearing my mask. It seemed a nuisance rather than a spectacle."

"I've seen four on Jakku, and at least a dozen on a star ship. It still amazes me each time."

"Will we get a sunrise, today?" Ben asked, shifting to look out of the cave.

Rey moved, too, and sighed. Clouds were moving in, and the usually cool temperatures dropped more. "Perhaps not today," She told him, turning to face him as he did the same. "Someday, though."

"Will you watch the sunrise with me, Rey?" Ben asked, looking at her, his whole body tuned to her. "Someday?"

Rey smiled and moved her hand to the space between them, "Yes, Ben. Someday."

His hand glided over the rock and covered hers, squeezing gently as he smiled at her, his face with such a delicate softness it seemed as though his scar had always been there, and he had always loved her.

Rey studied him, her body hungry for more of his touch. She lifted her head, wondering, if he would accept a kiss from her. Just one kiss, even a little peck was all she wanted.

"I called it!"

Ben and Rey jolted, Ben whirling immediately to his elbow to look out the cave entrance. Rey followed suit, her body freezing at the sight of Finn's face flushed in betrayal. Beside him, Rose stood, her own face chiseled with shocked pleasure. Finally, she had found the crack in Rey's blockade around Finn's heart.

"Good morning," Ben grunted, though his tenor of voice found nothing good about the morning.

"Good morning, Master Ren and… Rey," Rose answered, looking from one to the other, then back again. "Nightmares, C-3PO said?"

"Shut up, Rose." Finn managed to say, his eyes locked on Rey.

"Finn," Rey cried, scrambling to her feet.

He stared at her, his head nodding slightly, then turned his heel, and walked away.

"Finn!" Rey yelled, her voice echoing in the cave. She hurried after him, her footsteps echoing in the cave. "Finn!"

He could really move when motivated, the small voice in her head observed. He cleared the steps leading downward to the old temple, not stopping.

"Finn, wait!"

Rey picked up her pace, calling to the Force to help guide her. She met him just before he started his descent into the village, able to reach out and touch his top robe.

He whirled around, his face unlike anything she had ever seen.

"Him?!" He demanded, "Him, Rey?"

"Finn," Rey pleaded. "Please, let me explain."

"He kidnapped you!" Finn shouted, his voice echoing off the rock cliffs, silencing the porgs. "He kidnapped you, _twice!_ He murdered his own father! He murdered members of the Resistance at his own mother's funeral! He tried to torture you, he tortured Poe and so many others! _And you love him?!"_

"Finn, calm down." Rey told him, "I know what he's done. He's not apologizing for any of that, but he is remorseful for what he did to his father, I feel that he is."

"Why him?" Finn demanded. "Why… Rey?"

Rey lifted her palms to him, her words lost for a moment. "We're… connected, Finn. I can't explain it. Snoke bridged our minds two years ago when I was here seeking help from Luke Skywalker. We didn't know it at the time that it was him, but he forced us to talk to one another, connect with each other. After Snoke died, the Force connections, they kept coming only we weren't talking to each other."

"That's how you invited him to Naboo," Finn said, nodding his head and eyeing her like she was an enemy.

"Yes. We have a connection, Finn. We are each other's light and dark-"

"If he wasn't in the picture, would you love me?"

Rey leaned away, "What?"

"If Kylo Ren, Ben Solo, had somehow -I don't know- died during his training-"

"Then Snoke would have come for _me!_ " Rey shouted, her voice echoing in the still wind. "I need you to understand that, Finn! If Luke Skywalker had killed his own nephew, or Poe had successfully killed him, then Snoke wouldn't have batted an eye, he would have come looking for Ben's equal in the light and corrupted me. Me! I would be Mistress of the Knights of Ren, I would have been Snoke's apprentice, maybe even Empress of the Galaxy! Do you get that, Finn?"

Finn stared at her, a feeling washing over Rey like he wasn't reading the same chapter of a beloved book, he was in a whole new galaxy seeing the stars for the first time.

"If I had never made it off Jakku," He nearly whispered, "If I became a scavenger like you, would you have loved me then?"

Rey inhaled, that backing away feeling making sense now. She backed away because he loved her and she knew it, just like she knew she was meant for someone else.

"Yes," She answered. "If we were simply a pair of scavengers on the wasteland of Jakku, then I would have loved you as you want me to."

She took a step back, away from him.

"But we're a long way from there now, aren't we?"

She turned away and headed back up the steps, feeling Finn's heart speak for him a thousand tears of protest. Her eyes flicked up the path and she saw him, tall, dark cloak billowing in the breeze, his eyes focused on her like she were the sun. Rey shivered, a cry catching in her throat.

Please be worth it, She thought. Please be the man I hope you are. For him if not for me.

 _Please Review!_


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

C-3PO knew something had happened between Kylo Ren and Captain Finn, but no one would tell him what it was or even discussed it around him. Perhaps that was the price of being in such a small academy, no need to tell the protocol droid. Weeks passed since the "incident," and there was a reluctant cooperation between the Master and his students, a steady yet dispassionate routine. The Caretakers had noticed and had asked him, but with no communication, no answers came.

So, C-3PO did as he was told to do, and catalogued the stores of belongings left behind by students from long ago, even some of Master Luke's belongings. He kept those in the best care, keeping them away from the moist salt air as best he could. Especially the paper journal of calligraphy that seemed like a piece of art collected for sentimental purposes.

On top of his cataloguing duties, (which he could really do in a week if uninterrupted doing basket weaving or some other menial task), C-3PO kept a small radio that Commander Dameron had given him mostly to make sure that Kylo Ren hadn't killed his students, and to inform C-3PO of when they would be flying in.

After six months of abandonment onto the island, Kylo Ren came to C-3PO and told him, "Call Dameron. Tell him, they're ready for their first exam."

"A first exam?" C-3PO asked. "Oh, I do hope they study, then."

Kylo Ren said nothing, he simply walked away to where Captain Rey was seated washing laundry.

SWSWSW

Poe arrived on Ben's personal ship, showing up out of the blue in a move that would have terrorized Finn, Rose, and Rey if they hadn't come along in the Force. As it was, they were in the middle of fight drills, Rey on top of Finn with her fist poised to punch, when they all, in perfect unison, looked up. A pull, a familiar pull that inspired scents of jet fuel and leather polish with warm comfort of a motor's hum, tugged at them.

"Hmm," Ben's voice purred. "Took him long enough."

Rey rolled off Finn, looking to Ben, then to the atmosphere where ships usually arrived. From the grey clouds, bright white lights tore through them, followed by the sleek, black _Raven Starr,_ circling the island slowly as it admired them from the wicked red tinted windows.

"Poe!" Rose cried over the billowing winds, waving at him.

As was customary, the students stood, then looked to their master for dismissal. He turned to them, his hair thrashing wildly in contrast to his firm stance, and nodded.

At once, Finn and Rose shot off down the path, their emotions a jumble of positivity and negativity at once. But Rey turned back to Ben and moved to stand next to him.

"You're not running to be with your friends?" He asked, turning to her.

She held out her hand to him, "Join us."

He looked at her, and smirked. "You go, I'll follow." He hesitated, then added, "I'm not good with friends."

Rey dropped her hand and looked at him. "You don't have to be alone all the time, Ben."

His smirk returned. "I know, I just want you to have friends."

She smiled, then reached up and kissed him on the cheek. As she bounded down the rock path, she could feel him smiling after her, restraining himself from keeping abreast with her to see their new arrivals. Though she mostly felt him long for his own ship.

SWSWSW

Poe was not an islander by any means. Being surrounded by water with the neighboring island two miles away, he would have drowned a hundred times by the time he reached his current age trying to get off this system. Kylo's students seemed to like it, though, as all were in good health and the girls seemed in good spirits.

Which meant Finn was feeling like Bantha dung. And he looked it, too.

"What's up, buddy?" Poe asked, looking at Finn.

At once, the girls silenced, then found some reason to disappear. Even BB-8 noticed and rolled next to Finn, chirping encouragement.

"What did he do?" Poe asked, looking to the pathway where Kylo Ren was casually descending.

"Did you know about him and Rey?" Finn asked, his entire body slumping.

Poe stared at Finn, a very large part of him wanting to answer with a sarcastic, "You didn't know?" Instead, he leaned back and said, "What?"

"I know right?!" Finn exclaimed, his body perking up.

"That's… unbelievable, man." Poe told him, shaking his head slowly meanwhile trying to refrain from shaking him. "What happened?"

"She was with him. Like… not like… you know… but they were…" He gestured with his hands to the rock in front of him. "And it just… hit me. You know? Like… how long…?"

Poe nodded slowly, "What did she say?"

"She said that they were connected. They have a connection and that they were each other's perfect balance."

"That's disgraceful." Poe frowned, shaking his head as he saw Rose peek around the corner.

"Exactly!" Finn urged, smiling at the vindication. "I've been Rey's friend for so long," He turned his heel to begin pacing, "But she goes for him? Him? I mean, what?"

Poe shifted slightly around him as he moved, and gestured softly to Rose, mouthing the words, "He didn't know?"

She lifted her shoulders and shook her head.

Suddenly, Rose snapped to attention and chirped a little too loudly, "Master Ren! It's Poe!"

Kylo Ren turned the corner the moment Finn spun on his heels to face Poe, "So fish is like the greatest thing since sliced bread. I mean grilled? Mhm!"

"The both of you wouldn't have survived five minutes of interrogation," Kylo growled, stepping into his beautiful, commandeered ship.

"Enjoying my ship?" He asked Poe, running an appreciative hand over the smooth side panel.

"I love this ship," Poe grinned, nodding his head. "Ravy's a beaute."

"Don't ever call her 'Ravy.'"

"So, a first exam?"

At once, Finn and Rose blossomed, and Rey came out of nowhere in a matter of moments, standing rather close to Kylo's right arm as he nodded.

"That's right." He looked at his students, "A first exam."

"What are we going to do?" Rey asked softly.

Kylo turned from her to Poe, his eyes glittering like topaz diamonds. "Ready to rebel?"

Poe's grin spread wide across his face. "Always."

SWSWSW

Loznos System - First Order Quay

HC-4267 sat in the transport carrier, watching as the more senior Stormtroopers pulled off their helmets to head into the bar. It was allowed, so long as they didn't come back drunk. No one liked intoxicated Stormtroopers, especially the guys cleaning up after them. HC-4267 scratched through the black under covering to his neck, wondering if anyone would be around to care if he pulled his helmet off for ten minutes…

"Officer on deck!"

At once, HC-4267 jumped to his feet and poised his blaster at the position of attention.

"Stormtrooper, where is your crew?"

HC-4267 kept his face forward despite his inward panic as a dark-skinned officer moved to stand in front of him, his eyes as hard as nightmares. Behind him, a woman with slanted eyes waited, watching for the slightest nervous tick.

"Ah, sir! They went to the bar. They received permission to do so-"

"Well isn't that fantastic, you get to complete the surprise inspection by yourself now don't you…?" The officer lifted his eyebrows, waiting for his victim's call number.

"HC-4267, sir!"

"HC-4267 is a ridiculous name, Stormtrooper!" The officer declared. "I will call you Hector from this point forward!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Hector tell me when your crew will get back from the bar?"

"Ah, I cannot say, sir. They're usually… well, about a half hour, sir."

"About a half hour?" He turned back to the woman behind him. "Is that long enough?"

She bobbed her head from side to side, "If we go quickly, then yes."

"Alright, then." He turned back to "Hector" and looked him up and down. "How tall are you, Hector?"

"Um, six foot three inches, sir."

The officer nodded. "That'll work."

The last thing "Hector" saw, was the officer's arm shoot out in front of him, touching nothing, but sending him flying, helmet-first, into the wall behind him. The first thing he saw when he came to about an hour later, was his naked legs and the pristine First Order quay on fire.

SWSWSW

Hyperspace

Rey felt like a straw doll, tied at random joints by white armor over a black undercovering that felt like a sock. Finn was meticulous in his way of tying the armor onto her, making sure that at no point whatsoever she could be discovered to be an imposter.

"Thank you, Finn." She whispered to him. "I know you care very much."

He didn't look at her as he gave her shoulder plate one last shake. "I always have."

"You just thought I felt the same about you," She asked, willing him to look at her.

He glanced at her, but said nothing.

"Finn, I do love you."

He stopped, her armor still in his hands. Slowly, he turned to her. "But, you love Kylo more."

"I love _Ben._ I love the man he wants to be, not what he was forced to be. He and I have so much in common. From the way we were raised, to finding teachers. To being feared for what we are capable of doing by those who claim to love us…" She trailed off, pleading his spirit to understand.

Finn inhaled, and nodded, seeming to understand. "Just, make sure he's there for you, and not what you could do for him, Rey. Because," He exhaled, "Because I can't put you down if I'm fighting him, too. I won't be able to, I refuse."

His words ricocheted off her ribs. He was right, she couldn't allow Ben so much power over her life that she would turn to the Dark Side. She wouldn't let him do that to her, Finn's life depended on it.

He stepped back, eyes searching her entire frame for anything amiss. "Perfect," He declared.

SW

Outer Rim of Unknown Regions

The ship was enormous! Actually two ships that could merge into one, the three Padawans pressed their foreheads to the glass of the transport ship and watched as construction ships completed their last round of final touches. Once those final touches were done, a transport ship, very much like the one they sailed in, would dock it and begin the five year journey to complete readiness for use in the First Order. Both ships were the first in a fleet of megaships to be deemed suitable for habitation. A new breed of star fleet that could go for years without making planetfall.

"How big is it, again?" Poe's voice called from behind them.

At once, Rose, dressed in her officer's uniform, stepped forward. "About the size of the city of Canto Bight." They moved to a strategic planning table that could lift and submerge into the floor, projecting from it's center the plans Ben had given them. Poe was also dressed in Stormtrooper armor, but Ben stood tall in his black garments, armor yet to be attached. Rose looked to the hovering blue schematic in admiration, adding "And weighs over a million tons."

"It's been fitted with guns and ammunition," Ben observed, pointing to the armory and several cannons. "The First Order wouldn't send out any ship for a crew without protecting it first."

Poe nodded, absorbing the task ahead of them. "Alright, casualties. What are we looking at?"

Rey stepped forward, feeling the Force. "Construction crew, some security… and, something else."

At once, all four faces turned to Rey as she stared into oblivion. There was someone else there, someone trying to hide from the Force. A flicker in the Force trying to repress it's light.

"What is the minimum objective?" Ben asked, his voice unusually soft.

Rey looked up, seeing him turned away slightly. He felt it, too.

Poe scoffed, "Main objective is to get the big ship to our temporary base. Retire the _Rising Dawn_ and give our allies much needed support."

"That's the minimum," Ben said. "Gather support."

"In a nutshell, yeah."

"You only need one ship for that," Ben muttered.

Poe hesitated, looking from him to Rey. "Two would be really nice. Like, really nice. Why?"

Ben looked up to Rey, the concern in his eyes sucking her into a void that belonged only to them. "Watch and learn."

SW

They were greeted with a formal welcoming party of twenty Stormtroopers, ten on either side of an engineer dressed in the same black uniform Finn and Rose wore. Rey's orders were simple, keep abreast of Poe and don't run over Finn. That would work if she could actually see through the bloody helmet that pinched her head! To keep her posture, she needed to almost lean back and sacrifice 20-20 sight, keeping an eye on Finn's ears rather than his back.

They halted before the engineer, the Force telling Rey that Ben had left the transport and was busy making his way to the command center (how was beyond her as he had flat refused to wear Stormtrooper armor since the new development). Oh what she would have given to have seen how he did that! Nevertheless, she kept her calm, and focused on the scene in front of her.

"Welcome, Colonel Cha," The engineer declared, extending his hand to shake Finn's. "Welcome aboard the Ikher Ikher."

"Good to finally be here," Finn answered.

The Engineer peered over Finn's shoulder at his entourage of two Stormtroopers. "A bit short of the crew we were promised, aren't we, sir?"

"Supreme Leader Hux cut our supplies as we were ready to head out." He sighed, and shook his head slightly, "Long live the Supreme Leader."

The Engineer gave a sympathetic chuckle and dropped Finn's hand, "One can only hope."

He turned to face the twenty Stormtroopers, "Alright, lads. Let's go home!"

As one, the Stormtroopers turned to face the transport ship and marched into it, waiting to be taken to their next assignment.

"Is that all of them?" Finn asked, watching them stand in perfect order as Rey used the Force to close the shuttle door.

"There's another squadron on the Ikher Two, sir. Don't worry, we wouldn't leave you without protection from the Rebels."

"How considerate," Finn folded his hands behind his back, twitching his fingers to Rey to fire up the ship and begin sending it on it's journey.

"Shall we?" The Engineer asked, gesturing with his hand through the hangar, ready to show them their new home.

Finn and Rose took off with the engineer, Finn moving to walk abreast to him. Poe waited for a moment, turning to look at Rey as she swayed in her armor, before rushing to catch up to Finn and Rose. Rey activated the yoke and thrust, gently pushing the ship from the loading bay into space, feeling for the best time to push the hyperdrive that would take them until their fuel ran out, leaving them in dead space. Rey felt the Stormtroopers, uniform and unthinking as they departed, possibly for the last time.

Beneath her helmet, she smiled, and punched the hyperdrive button, catapulting them into oblivion.

The moment they shot of into the black, Rey reached up and pulled off the tight helmet, feeling as she did so the engineer's panic as his "guests" revealed themselves. She took a step forward, her elation rising at such a simple task… then halted as her stomach plummeted, the Force screaming to her of a hidden danger.

She snapped the blaster to her hands and looked around. Where was it? Was it Ben? No, he was fine. But why the alarm? She moved in time to hear a loud _BANG!_

Rey whirled around, seeing two Stormtroopers rush over a catwalk, blasters poised to fire again. She fired, hitting both of them and bolted to under the catwalk, touching the commlink in her ear to speak to Finn and Rose.

"Guys," She breathed, looking every which way, "Something's happened. The Stormtroopers are spooked."

Suddenly, she heard her name, a powerful call to her soul rather than her ears. Ben.

"Ben!" Rey cried, reaching out to the Force as much as possible without crushing him. "What's is happening?"

She felt confusion in return for an answer. He knew nothing, and so far, saw nothing.

Rey continued on, careful now, and turned the corner.

SWSWSW

Poe cheerfully finished tying up the Engineer, a sock stuffed into the man's mouth. Finn already had his blaster poised to shoot whilst Rose tapped away on a holopad.

"No distress signals have gone out," She announced, frowning. "But alarms have been triggered in Ikher One's two main landing hangars."

"Another ship?" Poe asked, pulling a final knot tight. He faced the Engineer, "Who else is here?"

The Engineer sneered at them and grumbled something at him.

"Yeah, that's what they all say."

"What about surveillance streams?" Finn asked.

"They haven't been connected yet," Rose told her. "I'd be surprised if the torpedoes can even fire."

The Engineer whimpered, his head bobbing a sort of agreement.

"Alright, big guy," Poe told him, reaching out and ripping the sock from his mouth. "Tell us what we need to know."

"The torpedoes work," The Engineer gasped. "And so do the short range cannons, but that's all."

"Alright, now who's here on this ship?"

"I haven't a clue!" The Engineer told him, "We were preparing for your arrival and so I haven't the slightest idea of who came in or didn't."

"Who usually comes in?" Finn asked.

The Engineer scoffed. "Workers from outside? Today should have been a technician to come and connect the remaining guns." He smiled, clearly thinking that he would receive help.

"Don't get too cocky," Poe told him before looking to Finn, "Wild guess that someone other than a technician came on board?"

"Seems like it," Finn agreed.

"Wow!" Rose yelped, calling attention to her. "There's… a fight happening ten flights up."

Finn paused, closing his eyes to feel the Force. "It's Master Ren, I… think." He looked to Rose, "Rose, you stay here with Poe. I'll find Rey and give Master Ren some backup."

"Does he need it?" Poe asked, lifting an eyebrow.

Finn cocked his blaster, "Better safe than sorry."

Quickly, he left the room, looking either direction for rogue Stormtroopers or familiar faces.

As soon as he left the room, Poe turned to Rose, "He's not letting Rey go, is he?"

"You have to ask?"

SWSWSW

Rey knew that feel! Traipsing forward in her stupid helmet, she looked around first for Ben, then for the owner of that particular aura in the Force. She moved down a corridor, seeing at the end of it a fallen Stormtrooper. Stepping carefully around it, she poked her head around the corner, finding a trail of bodies slashed across the chest by what looked like a lightsaber.

A chill ran down her spine at the sight of such burns across the face and chest. Though Ben was more than capable of doing them, she couldn't help but feel that he wasn't responsible for these. It just… wasn't him!

She proceeded with caution, blaster held out in front of her. She reached the door at the end of the corridor, and hesitated, feeling the Force for whatever was on the other side. It was an outlet to the center core railing, overlooking the rest of the ship. Quickly, she removed her helmet and set it down, her messy and sweaty hair pouring over her shoulder. She inhaled, and touched the button to open the door.

Amid the pile of white armored bodies, a man wearing a mask and dressed entirely in black and bearing a type of long handled sword with a wide, short blade of pure crimson, stalked. Before him, a Stormtrooper issuing feelings of sheer terror to the point of tears and excrement, backed away, shaking.

"Please!" She cried, eyes poised on the Knight, her voice echoing in the empty ship. "Please!"

Rey said nothing as the Knight lifted his sword above his head and brought it crashing down on the Stormtrooper's shoulder, killing her instantly. Rey shifted her eyes, seeing from a darkened corner a young girl with red hair and a crimson lightsaber akin to the one Rey used to wield in her hands. It was her presence that Rey felt. She had tried to hide her presence from the Force, thus creating a waning flicker that both Rey and Ben could feel.

The man turned off his lightsaber and lifted his hands to his helmet, pushing a button that released his curly blond hair, and untamed electric blue eyes. Koita Mathe.

"Hullo, empress." He purred, turning to peer at her with those piercing blue eyes. "Long… time."

Rey wanted to kill him. Her urge to lift her blaster and slice him right in his beautiful face was so strong, his apprentice twitched towards her. Either in hope or in defense, it didn't matter. Koita Mathe could feel her want and so she lowered her blaster.

"What are you doing here?"

Koita Mathe didn't answer. He merely swept her frame slowly, a smile blooming on his face. "My, my, aren't you pretty in white?"

"KOITA MATHE!"

The man whirled in a plume of black robes, peering over the railing to the other side… where Ben stood, lightsaber at the ready.

"TOME SIAG WEY!" Ben bellowed.

Koita Mathe flinched back, his face the portrait of confusion. "Fidi ac noth bame ra!"

Ben shouted back, barking the Rentalk very much like a wolf in defense of his alpha. Beside him, Finn emerged from the dim light, blaster at the ready, but face equally confused as Rey.

"Not a word," Rey hissed quietly to him. "No names, not on your life."

The men shouted at each other, a duel they were not at liberty to share exchanged in thundering barks and the occasional arm gesture. Suddenly, Koita Mathe took a step back, his eyes wide. He looked once, meaningfully, at Rey, then back to his Master.

"Prat perac, nox umera?"

Ben seethed in silence.

"Ah, I see." Koita Mathe breathed. "Tikira, brother," He waved a lazy hand.

"Fidi ac thran," Ben spat.

Koita Mathe swept his arms out on either side of him and bowed at the waist, eyes locked on Ben. "Nos thume nan!"

Ben cocked his chin at him, "Nos thume nan!"

Koita Mathe straightened and turned his heel, eyes finding his apprentice and jerking his head out the door. The girl moved at once, stepping gracefully over the dead bodies like a dancer. The moment he came equal to her shoulder, Koita Mathe faced Rey, his gaze gripping her like an arm around her back, drawing her to him in a lover's embrace though they were a foot from touching.

He huffed and licked his lips. His gaze was ravenous, but his voice was calm as he whispered to her, " _My_ … empress."

Rey's heart hammered in her chest. For the wildest reason, she wanted to shoot her arm out, claw the back of his neck, and bring his face to hers. She pictured the massive black bed from the _Nest_ where she and Ben had slept together, and felt Koita Mathe's weight on top of her, his breathing as intense as hers as he succumbed to her yearning to eat his kiss, letting her fingers run through his hair.

She took a step back, unclicking the safety on her blaster, her lip curling over her teeth.

"Get, out, of my head."

He smiled, his eyes glittering. "Until we meet again," He breathed, then walked away.

Rey stood there, watching the space where he had been, practicing her breathing. It had been years since she wanted to kill someone for the sake of killing them. Snoke was responsible for this bitter hatred blossoming within her, he would always have that right. But she would be damned if she let the wrong man have another right over her.

"Rey,"

She whirled around, seeing Ben stride towards her. At once, she felt relief surge over her, though the fury remained. Unhindered, she threw her arms around his middle as he threw his over her neck.

"Ben," She breathed.

The ship shuddered beneath their feet, bringing Finn closer to them. "What was that?" He asked, looking up to the roof, then at Rey.

Still in his arms, Rey leaned away to peer at Ben. "You promised him?"

He nodded. "It's for them," He told her, his feelings freezing around her, "I… I couldn't say no."

"What did you promise who?" Finn demanded, looking to Ben.

Ben looked at him, resting his cheek on Rey's forehead. "The Resistance only needs one ship," He told him.

The ship shivered again, this time sounding an alarm through the corridors. Finn looked from him to the observation catwalk, and bolted, the sound of his boots echoing off the virgin floor.

Rey said nothing, knowing what was going to happen. Astonishment, admonishment, acceptance, followed by abandonment on Ach-To. She didn't care because in this moment, her arms were around Ben's waist and his chest was pressed against hers even in her tincan uniform.

He moved his arms to unclasp hers and took her hand, then smirked. As Finn screamed and panicked into the glass of the observation catwalk, Ben pulled her into a turbolift, and pushed a button. She stood beside him, watching the white lights flicker as they elevated to a floor unknown, dying to ask where they were going, but smiled instead. She could wait for him to show her. The doors opened, and Rey gasped, both hands moving to cover her mouth but scooped the smell of a thousand fragrant roses into her nose.

"A garden?" She whimpered, looking to him.

He nodded, smiling as he looked down at her. "Crew needs a place to decompress, especially if this ship isn't designed to make planetfall regularly. And, it's functional. Grows nutritional needs."

Rey stepped from the turbolift onto the thin layer of grass, her eyes darting from the rosemary, blueberry, and whisper berry bushes and various vegetable vines on silver metal trellises, to the hundreds of trees as tall as she was and filled with fruit of all varieties. Along an avenue clearly designed for recuperation, rose bushes dotted with small roses of every color sat erect in too perfect rows, reminding her of their newness, and between them were benches of silver metal, a functional reminder in the otherwise picturesque getaway.

Rey slid her hands from her nose and inhaled, drinking in the flavor of such beauty contained in such a space. From somewhere she couldn't see just yet, she could hear water rushing over rock to simulate a stream, and the swish of grass beneath her boots stroked her like a kitten's purr.

"Koita Mathe took the ship with the meat," Ben's voice told her, "And much of the weaponry, but this will serve as a hearts and minds mission. Show the Resistance what the First Order is capable of, and what the Resistance can attain."

Rey whirled around to him, (noting the waterfall behind the turbolift), and grabbed the back of his neck. She swallowed, staring into eyes that glittered color of honey.

"I love you, Ben Solo."

He smirked, the one he reserved only for her. "I know."

 _Please Review!_


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Hyperspace

Finn mindlessly sharpened a knife he had found in what was to be the butchering shop of the ship. Knives always fascinated him, though not for the sadistic purpose of killing. They were useful, and could be easily concealed and whipped out when the opportunity should arise.

Rey's musical laugh rang out through the command bridge, drawing his eyes from the whetstone, to the slice of her shoulder draped with hair. She sat with her head pointed downward, possibly because Master Ren rested his head on her lap, or some other -unlikely- innocent purpose.

"Finn," A voice hissed, though it sounded more like a sneeze.

He looked over his shoulder, seeing half of Poe's body leaning out from a broom closet and motioning with his hand for Finn to join him. Finn sheathed the knife, his chin twitching for a second in the direction of Rey, but caught himself. Slowly, he rose and joined him, showing him how to properly shut the door from the inside.

"Alright," Poe asked, turning from the door handle, "What really happened with the second ship?"

Finn inhaled, looking around the spacious broom closet (shoving aside the curiosity for what cleaning equipment would be stored in there) before answering.

"Another knight?" Poe frowned, leaning away.

"Something's not right," Finn told him. "My feelings, they're bugging me about this."

"It's not because of Rey?" Poe asked, lifting a skeptical eyebrow.

Finn hesitated before sighing, "I don't know. I'm so confused right now."

Poe crossed his arms, "What did Rey do?"

Finn looked at him, "Nothing. She did, nothing."

Poe nodded, then swallowed. "Finn, I'm going to ask you to do two things and you're not going to like either one. Just, remember that you're doing this for the Resistance."

Finn leaned away, "Do not, ask me, to spy on Rey."

"I'm asking you to spy on Rey because we think she has been compromised."

"This is Rey we're talking about!" Finn cried, trying not to make his voice sound too desperate. "She's not compromised because she has a boyfriend!"

"No, just when she meets with her boyfriend's buddies then lets said buddy get away with a ship that would have brought _valuable_ resources to the Resistance's allies!"

"You don't know why he did it!" Finn insisted.

"You're right, we don't and no one is telling us. Not even the almighty Rey. In fact, whenever 'Ben' is in the picture, she's dead silent. Siding with him more often than she is with us. Finn, we never asked her to join the Resistance. We never asked her to fight for us, we just gave her a jet and let her fly, lightsaber in hand."

Finn stared at him, realization softening his features. "What are you saying?"

"I'm not saying anything," Poe began, but Finn cut him off.

"You are the Resistance! What are they planning?"

"No, I am not! Listen," He shifted his weight and glanced towards the door, "The Council has no idea what size and model of this ship is, they hardly even know what I'm doing out here. If they heard what Rey did, letting Ren take the Ikher Two, she would not only be out of the Resistance, but she would be put on trial for colluding with a nefarious ally, and Ren himself would be tried with the intent of execution."

Finn stared at him, wide eyed. There was no love lost for Ren as a man, but as a Master he had been pivotal in Finn's training, and for that alone Finn felt some sense of admiration for him. But that paled in comparison to another, more obvious truth.

"Poe, did the council not see Rey rip apart a ship with her bare hands? She did that for us, her family… what is she going to do if she thinks her family is betraying her?" He shivered, then added, "Again?"

"That's why I'm asking, Finn," Poe breathed, almost afraid of his own words himself. "We need to be crystal clear on her actions before we move."

Finn exhaled, feeling the weight of the ship they travelled on grind his shoulders. "What was the second thing?"

Poe inhaled, then swallowed, and closed his eyes for a moment. "If Rey is guilty, the chances of her going peacefully are going to be slim to none… unless she's guided into believing otherwise."

All previous feelings obliterated, and a stiff chill descended in the broom closet.

"Think on it," Poe told him, holding up his hands. "Hard decisions take time. Take yours."

With that, he turned his heel, and left Finn staring wide eyed where he stood.

SWSWSW

Rey watched the spindletop whir on her knee in a perfect wobble, her face looking like it hurt with joy. "This is so much fun!" She cried.

"I know!" Rose told her, her own face almost blindingly pinched with the same childlike joy.

Above them, leaning over the railing that looked directly into the comings and goings of the command bridge, Ben watched, allowing satisfaction to flow through him. Once again, he ran his thumb over his lips, remembering Rey's desperate kiss and the look of grass through the strands of her brown hair. He had never held a woman so closely as a kiss before her, and never thought that tumbling to the ground with one could be so easy! But, it had been, and if he hadn't been so deathly frightened of who could be coming through the turbolift in the next moment, who knew where they could have ended up?

He hid his smile in his crossed arms, resting on the railing as the spindletop wobbled off Rey's leg and onto Rose's open hand. Mindless, his forefinger twitched, stroking the fabric of his sleeve as though soaking up ink to scrawl a word. What word?

Adore.

Yes, Ben adored Rey. He hadn't felt adoration for some time. It felt good to ooze it from his pores much like a child playing with that spindletop. He wondered if he could make "Adore" spell out "Rey." That had been his particular talent, once upon a time…

He straightened, his feelings cooling. The last time he had practiced his calligraphy, passionately practiced, was at Luke's school. In this moment, as in other moments when he remembered his calligraphy set that his father had brought him from systems unknown, he had wondered what had happened to his book of drawings. His art taken from his mother's passionate speeches, and the definition of feelings thrust upon him at a young age scrawled delicately onto expensive paper. "Alone," he drew that one in the shape of a bird without a flock. "Angry," that one was more splotchy, like his mother after one of her moods when she kicked a basket of rice, sending the thousands of granules towards him. She was sorry for not seeing him there, of course, but her anger didn't go away. It only spread to a different thing.

"Grandfather." He didn't have a particular design for that one, but it came out in the same bright style as "belong."

The girls' laugher hit a climactic falsetto, bringing his focus to the wobbling spindletop that had fallen from Rose's hand and clattered to the glossy, unkept floor. Where had they found that silly thing? He shook his head and sighed, admiring the way Rey laughed with abandon.

"Beautiful," another word he would articulate with "Rey." Someday.

Slowly, his boot sliding loudly in his ears, he took a step back. Then another, until Rey's lovely face faded from view. He turned away, knowing what he needed to do. How far he would need to go.

"Don't do it."

He stopped, halting dead in the corridor at the sound of that voice. He turned his head to the left, feeling his blood congeal at that sight, and immediately turned his entire body before slamming his knee to the ground and dipping his chin in reverence.

"Grandfather!" He gasped, heart roaring in his ears.

Standing before him, cast in a brilliant blue hue and wearing robes befitting a Jedi Master, was a mussed haired man with a scar across his eye. Anakin Skywalker, Darth Vader, himself.

"Ben," The voice he issued was kind, knowing, a perfect comfort from when Ben was a frightened teenager to now. "Ben, look at me."

Slowly, Ben lifted his head, peering at his grandfather, his body shaking.

The blue figure shook his head, his face falling from amused to concerned. "Don't run, not this time, Ben."

Ben's lips parted, his bottom lip beginning to wobble with tears. "I have to," He breathed.

"Why?"

Ben closed his eyes and mashed his lips together, savoring the pain for a moment. "Because I love her. And I've hurt every, single, person I've ever loved." He opened his eyes. "I worshipped my father as a boy. I killed him. I wanted to be a Jedi so that I could be like you…" He admired his grandfather for a moment, so striking in his Jedi robes, then swallowed, "I created a new order of the Sith. I can't have Rey. I'll destroy her."

"Clearly you haven't considered what would happen if you left her, now have you?"

Ben leaned back, used to being in such a position of obeisance that the discomfort hardly bothered him. No, he was going to listen to this.

His grandfather leaned against a wall and crossed his arms, narrowing his look slightly. "You never considered what lengths a woman like that would go through to be with the one she loves?"

"I can hide," Ben told him. "I can hide someplace she could never find me. Where no one could."

His grandfather inhaled and looked away for a moment, the small action causing shame to wash over Ben. No, he hadn't considered Rey's determination.

"The Knights of Ren," His grandfather continued, looking at him.

"Rey hates them," Ben told him, confused.

"Like she hated you?" He narrowed his look again, that knowing look of a master whose teaching couldn't be rebuked.

Ben nodded. "They would be perfect servants for her."

"Ben," The tenor of his voice changed, congealing Ben's blood once more. His grandfather continued, "You have been shamed."

He couldn't remember flying to his feet. He only remembered the world shifting around him and reaching out to steady himself against a beam of steel.

"No," Ben breathed. "No, you wouldn't say so!"

"Why wouldn't I?" The blue hue of his body moved as he sauntered towards his grandson. "Now you see, Ben. You cannot go anywhere where you will not be hunted down. One hunter will judge your every action, the other will love you unconditionally even unto her death. This is the path you have before you."

Ben leaned his head back onto the wall, tears threatening to choke him. "I can't have Rey!" He whimpered.

"You want a premonition about her?" His grandfather demanded. "Alright, I'll give you a premonition: you will fail her."

Ben's eyes whipped to him, hanging on to his every word despite his look of exacerbation.

"You will fail her, you will massively screw up. You will apologize without the intent of being forgiven, and guess what? She will forgive you. Each time you do it. And she will fail you. She will come to you with tears in her eyes expecting you to leave her, but you won't. Child, this is called 'marriage.' Two very imperfect people who cannot live without each other making it work. Ben, she won't beat you for making an error like Snoke did."

A knife slashed through Ben's innards, but he held himself.

"But she won't forgive you for leaving her." His face changed, instead of teaching, Ben felt his grandfather… loving. Imparting love upon his grandson much like a painter would stroke a brush on a wall. "She needs you. She needs to know that in this changing world, there's someone wholly invested in her that can play to her level of understanding. She can only find that with you."

Ben swallowed. "What would happen if I left her?"

Anakin's shoulders dropped and Ben could feel the Force surging around them. So, there is a method to his being here, Ben thought, but pushed that aside for later.

"If you leave Rey, she will search for you." Anakin began, his voice low. "She will search on her own, leaving the Resistance vulnerable. When she has exhausted her own resources, she will call to the Knights of Ren."

At this, Ben turned to the wall in front of him. Instead of a solid metal sheet, he saw some system in the rain, the colors of a city melting together in the wash, though a soaked Rey standing at a quay was in sharp focus. A ship, one he knew Koita Mathe liked to fly, landed before her with said Knight meeting her in his full black garb as the entry ramp lowered. Rey said nothing to him, merely shouldered her bag and boarded his ship.

Through the vision, Ben could still hear Anakin's voice speak: "They will wear down her resolve, until believing that she is helping the Resistance, she accepts the mantle of Mistress of the Knights of Ren and deposes of Supreme Leader Hux."

The vision changed. Now Rey wore jet black robes lined with silver and sported a staff lightsaber of pure crimson. At her feet, the head of Armitage Hux bled, separated from his body by at least two feet. Behind her, Koita Mathe came gripping the standard of the First Order in his fists, a hungered look upon his features as she turned off her staff and turned to him.

"Koita Mathe will convince her to marry him, forsaking love for consolidating power. He will pledge to her his sword, and will defend her from all her enemies. Including those in the Resistance she tried to help."

Ben gripped the steel beams behind him, feeling like he could rip them from their bolts at the sight of Koita Mathe wrapping his arm around Rey's waist and kissing her with their eyes open for a moment, then grabbing the blaster from her belt and shooting the Rebel behind her square in the throat while she rested her head on his chest. That Rebel looked awfully close to Finn…

"Their first child will be called the Pure One, a child with unforeseen abilities and control of the Force that none has ever seen before. The Resistance will lose it's armies, and won't raise a single ship for the cause out of sheer fear the likes of which you nor I could ever achieve in our reigns."

He was a beautiful child. Curled brown hair and piercing blue eyes, and a smile! He had Rey's smile! Why shouldn't he? His father rolled with him through a type of training course before gripping a bona fide red lightsaber of a simple design, lifting it and deflecting a floating droid's blasts to the direction of his father's words and animated arms. After training was complete, the boy hurtled passed his father to his mother's arms. Rey, dressed in a gown of black and red, scooped her son into her arms and nuzzled his hair, smiling as her husband joined them to fill in where the animated boy left out.

So, this is how the real Terror of the Galaxy is made, Ben thought, With permissive love and encouragement.

"The Pure One will reign after his mother for years, until another equal in talent and ability comes to challenge him. One overlooked by the Pure One's parents as insignificant, non-threatening."

The doors of an opulent palace opened, admitting a single figure into Rey's Son's court. A single figure, dressed in light, translucent clothing befitting a desert dweller walked, determined to see their leader. Ben squinted at the figure, straining to see if this person was male or female, young or old, lightsaber or other weapon. None of this was clear, and the vision changed, showing him a metal ribbed corridor wall, and nothing more.

Ben turned to the ghostly figure of his grandfather, and swallowed. "All of this, because I leave?"

"Amazing how one decision can influence an entire generation?"

Ben snorted, his grandfather's eyes alighting with amusement for a second. Then, Ben asked, "And… what about my future with Rey? What would that be like?"

Anakin's smile widened, and his eyes glittered. "That's your decision, Ben. Every decision. Will you be an anxious father and worry about every action? Or will you simply be there for each nightmare? Each picture drawn for you? How will you love Rey? With a kiss, or with a soft assurance that you won't leave her, such as saying you'll build something in a few days and then doing it? These are questions that you must ask yourself that will have the greatest consequences."

Anakin stepped back, taking his time to look over his grandson as he moved. "Don't leave. There comes a time when you become too old to run away. Don't leave this one."

A tear slid down Ben's cheek and he swallowed hard. "I'm scared," He whispered, "I don't know how to love."

"Ask her," Anakin smiled, "Ask her how she wants to be loved. Then follow through. The same for you, Ben. How do you want to be loved?"

Ben blinked, and just like that, his grandfather was gone.

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	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Mesumi, Core Systems

Hux walked through the Supreme Leader's Suite, admiring as a curator guided an installation crew bearing two, new, art pieces onto the walls of the living quarters. Veela liked bright art pieces, though Hux preferred well drawn schematics framed and displayed. The price of companionship, he sighed, eyeing them as he walked passed.

He moved through the living quarters to the designated conference room, shifting the leather protective cover of his personal holopad and mentally reminding himself of whom was first on the agenda. The door slid open and he stepped from soft carpet to stone tiles, a subtle shift from comfort to business, even in these weeks of respite. Immediately, two generals snapped to attention.

"Good morning, gentlemen," Hux sneered, barely looking at them as he set down his holopad and opened it, taking first a cup of biritku and sipping deeply to better awaken his senses.

"Supreme Leader," They said in unison.

Hux took a seat and looked at the first man, a portly general who had no connections to Ren and so was promoted to Hux's privy counsel with immediate effect. "Tell me." Hux commanded.

General Boro melted from his severe stance and picked up an info chip from the conference table (really a card table but Hux saw no reason for a big, fancy table for his private residence) and held it out to him. "This comes from the former Captain Frees's office, I think the contents will disturb you."

Hux immediately jammed the info stick into his holopad, frowning as small dots began forming on an obscure background.

"Damn thing," General Boro hissed, staring at it. "It should come up later, sir. But, we have seen these dots form several ships built in the Unknown Regions. The likes of which, if I may, sir?" He gestured with his hand to the holopad, which Hux surrendered freely. General Boro touched it twice, then handed it back to him, "These sixteen ships were commissioned last year under your predecessor, sir. Formidable ships, all with the same idea as former Supreme Leader Snoke's capitol the _Supremacy_ , built with the intent of flight for years at a time. All unique in their construction, as well, sir."

"These are ours?" Hux asked, eyes widening at the sight of such beautiful blueprints. He would certainly commission one of them to be hung in his new home as soon as possible.

"Yes, sir, though we," He rotated towards the Colonel behind him, "Must bring grave news along with these blueprints."

"What is it?" Hux demanded, looking around General Boro to the other, slightly thinner, but still stocky officer.

"Colonel Cutter, sir," He began. "We received a distress transmission from one of our ships roughly a week ago, sir and immediately sent a recovery vessel to it. We found a squadron of Stormtroopers tasked with protecting one of these ships, the Ikher Ikher, a conjunction ship, without resources and most importantly, not on that ship. They were to be sent to one of our dreadnoughts for recuperative rest but found themselves after coming out of an abrupt hyperspace without a pilot and without fuel." He shifted at Hux's look of disgust, "We can only assume that former Supreme Leader Ren has the same list and is currently on a path to intercept them."

Hux inhaled, taking a deep sip of biritku before asking, "What was the manifest?"

General Boro stepped forward, "A small but significant arsenal of weaponry, supplied for short travel to a supplies system where it could be stocked to it's fullest. Two herds of juvenile beasts for meat, a full garden, the standard number of escape pods, and a handful of fighter jets, again for defense in movement."

"But Ren has them?"

Silence echoed in the room before Colonel Cutter answered, "We believe so, yes, sir."

"How can you 'believe' it, Colonel?" Hux spat, glaring at him.

"We never saw him, sir." Colonel Cutter answered, struggling to keep the venom from his voice. "Our holo streams picked up a small transport ship docking to pick up the Stormtroopers, then the two officers walked away with the ship's engineer, after that, nothing-"

"So, someone with intimate knowledge of our ships?"

"Yes, sir."

Hux paused, thinking. Then asked, "Was it the traitor? The one who killed Captain Phasma?"

Colonel Cutter opened his mouth but was cut off by General Boro, "We have reason to believe that it was Ren, sir."

"And Ren working with the enemy of my enemy is out of the question, is that it, General?"

General Boro opened and closed his mouth before Colonel Cutter stepped around him. "We believe that it was indeed the traitor, sir. Him as well as the Haysian woman disguised as officers."

"Flash their faces across the First Order ships," Hux commanded, "I want everyone to know who they are except for the civilians. Let them come to us." He turned to the blueprints in front of him, "As for these new developments, let it serve as a cautionary tale between the three of us. If it was Ren, then this ship here," He pointed to a half-developed ship, a sleek destroyer-type thing built for rapid transport with a delivery date of six weeks, "That will be the next ship they will take. It will also serve as an alert for the First Order. Ren and the Resistance have a list of our ships in production and they will have to be moved or defended with full force."

"Yes, sir." The men said in unison.

"And find the girl," Hux commanded, "You know which one, so wipe that stupid look off your faces. Find her and follow her, use whatever resources are necessary. Where she is, Ren and the Traitor will be."

"Yes, sir!"

SWSWSW

Hux watched as Veela moved through the dining room, dressed in a… it wasn't pink, what was the word? Oh hang it, a soft pink gown that began as a robe with wide sleeves but fell away into a cape and short skirt. Far too opulent for her simple tastes, but she did look lovely. Far lovelier than in her captain's uniform. She flitted from one of the two place settings to the other, commanding and fixing the servants to prepare the settings just so, a worried wrinkle set upon her forehead. For just the two of them, they ate and dressed rather splendidly, meaning that she was still too timid of him and wanted to impress.

He took a step from around the corner, making a small noise at the back of his throat to catch her attention. At once, she turned and made eye contact with him, letting out a small gasp that froze the other servants. "Armitage!" She cried, a smile slapping onto her features. "I didn't realize you were standing there."

"I only just arrived, Veela. My apologies for disturbing you."

"No, no, no! Not a disturbance, just a… shock."

By her anxiety, it felt very much like a disturbance, but he ignored that and let her direct him through her sanctum.

"The cook has made your favorite for this evening," She smiled, guiding him to sit with a lovely view of the terrace overlooking a splendid marble fountain that changed colors, and the door because he couldn't stand to sit with his back to it.

"Oh, how lovely," Hux grimaced, looking over the tall floral arrangement jittered with two caged songbirds. "Duck cooked in the Sparrock fashion?"

"Only the best for our Supreme Leader," Veela grinned a little too widely.

"Good," Hux smiled, noting how far she sat when she assumed her seat. "There's not many who like it."

"Oh hush, that's how we first met, remember?"

This time, the smile wasn't forced. "How can I forget? One of my inferiors daring to join me at the table with my favorite food? And one so lovely as yourself, too."

She grinned, possibly the first genuine smile he had seen from her since that time. Her grin faded and he could see her shift through her thoughts for an appropriate topic of conversation.

He took his wine goblet and asked, "How are you finding Mesumi?"

She hesitated, "It is… different, than the _Finalizer._ "

Hux sipped his wine, a robust fragrant liquid that fit him perfectly. "You mean there isn't nearly as much danger and excitement among the gardens and villas of this lovely system than a tired, old ship?"

"The _Finalizer_ was neither tired or old, Armitage. It was… life. Exciting," Her eyes began to glitter as she spoke. "It was feeling the contribution to the First Order each day, even if I was shuffling files or seeing you. Calming you as I did…" She flashed scandalous eyes at him with a modest simper, the way she used to across a room in quiet moments. "I miss that."

Hux set his goblet down, "I prefer to have you here, Veela. Safe, and away from First Order politics. I don't like to taint things."

"But I am already tainted, Armitage," She persisted, only lowering her voice as she looked at him. "I know what you know up until three months ago. I know how to react to your needs. I could be your wife and your partner."

Hux set his jaw, sending her immediately to cower into her chair. If she only knew! If she only knew how close the Resistance had cut them, and came uncomfortably close to hurting him in the process. He grabbed his napkin off his plate and set the decorative gold ring aside.

"I shall think on it."

SWSWSW

Veela quivered on the bed beside him, her naked body shivering in the cool breeze wafting in from the window. She said nothing, only looked at him almost as if waiting for her dismissal, but he did not grant it. He only stroked a line from her chin through her breasts to her naval, then back again. He sighed taking in such beauty. No one could have determined it from the thick, concealing uniforms of the First Order, but now that he could touch her, she was the most magnificent woman in the galaxy.

She swallowed, the movement disrupting his strokes, and whispered, "What is it, Armitage?"

He had instructed her not to speak. He had told her before each time they made love not to say a word. He liked to see the agony grow in her until she burst forth in absolute disobedience. Now, her words cooed to him like the welcoming breeze.

"I want a legacy," He whispered back, moving to stroke her tender breasts with his fingers in mindless sweeps. "I want something my children can look upon with awe in their eyes. Something they can strive to preserve, and expand."

He hesitated, head turned towards their legs, though he couldn't see them from where he was looking. "My father, was an Imperial General. He would look upon me with a sneer, and demand what my actions could do to further the cause. How could playing with other children help me become an officer?" He scoffed in the dim, "He never gave up hope that the Empire would rise again from the ashes. He waited, diligently, for his time to return once again. He had my mother make him uniforms each time one became too worn, or too snug. I wore a type of uniform, myself, under his direction. As did my sisters, but they were directed to marry the sons of 'reputable' men. Men my father used to serve with.

"My father died four years ago, pleased that I had fulfilled his dream. But, it's not nearly enough." He huffed and looked at Veela, moving to stroke her cheek with his thumb. "The First Order must know me, must… must _fear_ me!"

"Like Ren?" Veela asked, touching his hand, her body turned slightly to him in absolute study. "How his family bears such legacies as the Skywalkers and the Organas?"

Silence crept into the bedroom as Hux stared down at her, his face frozen in thought. Slowly, he moved his hand to her neck, and cupped it.

"Is that what you think about when I touch you?" He asked, his voice calm. "You think of Ren instead of me?"

Her mouth opened to rebuke him, but her words refused to come as he slowly added muscle to his grip.

"Hmm?" He asked, "I can't hear you!"

He flipped over, kicking his leg over her side so that his waist rested on hers and both hands weighted her neck. He smiled, watching her panic and writhe beneath him though his pressure was nothing like that used to torture captives. "You think of him, don't you? You were assigned to his floor with Snoke, then promoted when he became Supreme Leader. He took you into his bed, didn't he?"

"No!" She choked, digging her nails into his forearms. "No! Armi… He – he wanted… the girl! Only… only her! I – I wa… nted… you!"

Hux held on for a moment more, before leaning back, dragging his hands over her chest as she sputtered, sitting up to catch her breath. With a gentle hand, Hux reached up and grabbed a handful of her hair, wrenching her head back to peer at him, his other hand moving to caress her lips.

"Don't, ever, mention Ren's name, again. Do you hear me?"

She hesitated, looking from his chest to locking into his eyes. In an instant, her eyes smoldered, and her breathing continued to heave, though he suspected for a different person, and a different thought than what he had in mind.

"Yes, sir," She breathed.

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	20. Chapter 20

_Happy Labor Day weekend!_

Chapter 20

Ahch-To

Rey grinned to herself, listening to Poe and Ben argue over where the exact location of the _Raven Starr_ was after it never made it back to the crew of the _Rising Dawn_.

"How can you lose a ship like that?" Ben demanded, though his posture was nothing close to suggest being offended as it had been in the past.

"How can _you_ hide a ship like that?" Poe retorted. "I know it was you, Ren. I punched in those coordinates myself."

"Well congratulations, you lost a one-of-a-kind ship."

"We catch you flying that ship, we're shooting it down with or without crew."

"Gee, thanks!" Rose exclaimed, sidling passed them.

"Shut-up, Rose!" Poe and Ben barked.

"Come on," Rey told her, patting her shoulder in consolation. "Let's go get some oysters."

"It's like I don't count," Rose grumbled, trudging up the rock.

"Of course you do," Rey told her. "No one else could have deleted those surveillance streams that fast."

Rose shot Rey a half smile, and headed down to the oyster beds with an extra bounce in her step.

SWSWSW

Finn climbed the rockface of the class area, the call of low tide brewing below him, and the slow-moving figure of Rose navigated beside him, her breathing nonexistent as she climbed. At once, Finn stopped, halting Rose's movement as well. The Force told them to stop their movement, to wait and regain their strength. So Finn held on, watching a family of porgs build a burrow nest twig by brush, feeling their nerves fluctuate with the security of having a home against the wind and rain.

Suddenly, the Force dropped it's caution and Finn hoisted himself with all his might over the edge of the cliff, landing on shaky but determined feet, and thundered towards Master Ren as he waited, reading placidly.

Finn barely registered Rey's staff flying from it's resting position before he found it's butt shoved firmly into his stomach.

Master Ren looked over his shoulder at him with half-satisfaction. "You didn't think I was going to just give it to you, now?"

Finn parried the staff and still moved forward to Master Ren, but the big man had already scrambled to his feet. At the same time he jumped into position, Rose flitted across the grassy area, arm outstretched to cup his shoulder.

Master Ren wrenched the staff back to club Rose, but she moved out of it's way. Master Ren twirled both himself and the staff like a sweeping propeller, whacking Finn in the arm and almost offsetting Rose. He stepped back, eyeing both of them with an excited gleam. Suddenly, the staff shot up and nearly clipped his teeth as Rey strode up from out of nowhere, arm outstretched and eyes closed, the Force guiding her every step.

Master Ren outright grinned.

He swung the staff over his head, causing Rey's eyes to fly open, dodged an advance from Rose, dropped the staff, then exchanged fists with Finn. He had come a long way from using standard Stormtrooper training, Finn realized as he was able to land more solid punches to Master Ren's torso.

That was until Master Ren changed his fighting style, landing a sturdy kick in Finn's gut that left him on his back and gasping.

Rose came next, taken down by a swift elbow to the face and hair grab (Master Ren had warned her once about her little ponytails) and was vaulted onto Finn's body.

"You, alright?" Finn gasped, rolling her off him as delicately as possible.

She nodded, her ponytail sticking straight out over her left ear. "He's strong," She wheezed, pressing a hand to her nose.

The Force whipped around them, drawing their attention to the center of the grass where Master Ren stood hunched, his eyes locked on Rey as she picked up her staff with gentle, precise fingers. As one, Finn and Rose glanced at each other, then scrambled as quickly as they were able to the outer edges of the grass space.

Master Ren shot his hand out quickly, expelling Rey's staff from her hands. "No weapons," He commanded, his voice light, and his look determined.

Rey dropped her chin, then shot forward, swinging two wild punches, but Master Ren dodged them. He grabbed her arm, but Rey shot upwards in an almost impossible leap and kneed him in the chin. Master Ren staggered back, but recovered relatively quickly. Back and forth they went, jumping onto ancient pillars to better bounce off and attack, jabs, parries, kicks and their respective blocks. Back and forth they went, with Finn's and Rose's rapt attention in tow.

"Get him, Rey!" Rose shouted, leaning forward on her knees, her eyes wide.

If Rey heard her, she didn't show it. Master Ren leaned forward, his face still eager, and muttered something to her, something lost in the wind. Finn, still latched onto the Force, swallowed. A flash of loving emotion, voiced in a taunt and meant only for her.

Rey kept her cool, an impressive feat to Finn, and waited for Master Ren to lunge at her, parrying him with the Force. He shot out his arm, taut with protruding veins and muscle, the Force thick enough around Finn and Rose that Finn almost thought he could taste it. The wind whipped around them, the pebbles in front of Finn rolling backwards as if they could sense the tension among the two combatants.

"Woah!" Rose gasped, her fingers pressed to the grass and rock. "It's going to break!"

Finn opened his mouth to ask what was going to break, but he didn't have to. The grassy area groaned, and the cliff beneath them quaked. Oh, Finn thought, his smile fading and his eyes widening. The island was going to break beneath them.

"Guys, stop!" He screamed, reaching instinctively for Rose's hand.

Rey must have heard him, and Master Ren followed her feelings, but that didn't stop the earsplitting _CRACK!_

Finn's hands shot to his ears as did Rose's to hers, but his eyes found the ground, seeing a line rip around the small overhanging cliff where Rey stood. She looked down, seeing the tear for herself, but felt the ground shake long before Finn did.

"REY!" Finn screamed, jumping to his feet.

Master Ren said nothing, he merely moved quickly to the edge of the crack and held out his hand, palm upward, and caught Rey as she took a step and jumped toward him, falling into his arms as a chunk, three strides long, crumbled from the grass area and plummeted to the ocean with a massive _splash!_

Finn inhaled sharply, watching a pillar fall with the rock and grass, the movement sending a thousand porgs screeching and burping alarm all around the cove.

"Duck!" Rose shouted, throwing her arm over his neck and wrenching him to the ground as the foot long avians fluttered overhead, their motions filled with panic.

Finn turned his eyes to Rose, seeing her eyes filled with worry and terror, hearing her breathing come sharply in his ear. He reached up and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her under his body, protecting her from what excited excrement pattered over them.

SW

Ben covered Rey, folding her tight into his arms as the screaming wailed overhead. He panted, his body tired, but held firm. When the silence ensued as quickly as the chaos, he lifted his head and peered at Rey, seeing her panting and felt her bracing him as tightly as he held her.

He wanted to ask if she was alright, if she was frightened at the prospect of losing him as much as he was of losing her. He wanted to ask her a thousand questions, but none made it through his lips. They seemed so insignificant compared to her look of fear washed away by glittering amusement. Her eyes glittered like sand in sunlight, and her smile as warm as hot soup on a cold, rainy day.

"Well, I don't think we should do that again."

He couldn't stop the smile if he had a thousand years of trying.

"Class dismissed."

SWSWSW

"The Caretakers are not pleased," C-3PO declared, twitching his body towards Ben and his Padawans. "They say that so much of the original temple has been taken over the years, they are loath to let it go so quickly and so soon."

"Didn't do it on purpose, Threepio," Ben grunted, taking a spoonful of his mussel soup.

"You didn't, but they believe Captain Rey did."

Rey looked up from her soup, a flash of red hotter than her dinner searing through her. She leaned around Ben to peer at Finn and Rose, "Listen up, you two, don't ever shoot a hole into one of the huts, you'll never find forgiveness no matter how much laundry you do."

Rose snorted into her bowl and Finn sounded like he sucked up his spoon.

"For shame," Finn taunted pounding his chest and prompting Rose to lather it on as well until Rey chortled into her bowl.

"What do they want us to do about it?" Ben asked, his face light. "Can't bring the cliff back."

"I think they're simply content to it not happening again," C-3PO answered.

"Noted," Ben replied, shoving another spoonful of soup into his mouth.

"Was this how the Knights of Ren trained?" Rose asked, carefully sipping the bowl of her spoon.

Ben took his time swallowing before setting his empty bowl down. "Something like this." He answered, not looking at her. "We were… more competitive."

"What does that mean?" Finn asked, intrigued.

His feelings chilled Rey, so much so that she could see her hands shivering though they clutched the steaming bowl.

"Imagine a tank of sharks," Ben began. "Each shark swimming in it's own pattern, always looking, always waiting. Then imagine a bloody carcass being dropped into that tank." He peered at her, and inhaled. "I was the one they waited to bleed. But I was the one who stopped them from fighting each other for blood. No one could beat me, and so they were united in competition. But, they…" He trailed off, his feelings deeply unsettled.

"What is it, Ben?" Rey asked, setting her bowl aside.

He swallowed, unwilling to speak. "They might have found my blood."

"What, your relationship with Rey?" Finn asked, glancing quickly to her.

He shook his head, "No, they'd die for her already. She's their new mascot."

Rey wanted to reply with sharp sarcasm, but he continued:

"I've been shamed."

Silence echoed through the small space, each Padawan equally confused as the other, but at least Rey knew that this was not a good thing among such proud knights.

"What does that mean?" She asked, leaning forward to put her elbows on her knees.

He looked at her, his face cast into pure uncertainty, and parted his lips.

"The Knights of Ren operate on pure loyalty and trust. Honor your code, trust your brother, in these two things is absolution. If you cannot trust your brother, then you are to bring shame upon his name, saying he is untrustworthy. There is only one greater sin than this, and it is to murder your brother in cold blood. Such cannot be done without a class execution. That is to say that the class who gained their knighthood with him can only be responsible for his execution because they've seen him at his worst."

"What happens if you're shamed?" Rose asked, her soup abandoned in her hands.

SW

Koita Mathe stood before the four knights, hands at his side and legs held firm in an unmoving stance.

"Say it again," Fraja commanded, his voice filled with caution.

Koita Mathe lifted his chin, and swallowed, "I have no trust in Supreme Leader Kylo Ren."

"Say it a second time," Fraja growled, watching Brunfar and Maa'qui close off the rear escape.

"I have no trust in Supreme Leader Kylo Ren."

Fraja reached up and detatched his lightsaber. He ignited it, not a single soul shivering at the sight of the wicked crimson hissing at his side.

"A third time, if you dare."

Koita Mathe stared straight ahead, and parted his lips.

SW

"You must bring it to the head of your class, the second in command if you are the head, and your class will hold trial. Basically intimidate you into making sure you know what you're talking about.

"If you're not, then one of the brothers will mentor you into having trust again. But if you are, then…" He swallowed. "Then the Distrusting is whipped, ten times a day for as many as are in your class, dead included. So for me, my Distrusting would receive seventy total lashes."

SW

Koita Mathe panted, gripping the ropes that bound him, stripped as naked as the day he escaped his childhood prison. Above, in the _Nest's_ living quarters, he could see the flaming hair of Rana as she peered down at him. Her father, coated in sweat and blood, and she could do nothing.

Fraja's boots echoed in the space, causing Koita Mathe's bottom lip to curl back into his mouth for something, anything, to stop his screams. He gripped the ropes tight and waited for Fraja to round his side and peer at him, dressed in cool, black robes with his dirty blond hair tied back. "Day four of seven, are you prepared for the punishment you are about to receive?"

Koita Mathe nodded, his chest heaving with anticipation. He couldn't see the whip, was it going to be Fraja or Brunfar today?

"Do you recant your distrust in our brother, Kylo Ren?"

This was a challenge. They knew he was committed to the cause set before him. Now was a test of endurance. Koita Mathe unclenched his jaw and spat, "No."

SW

"What happens from there?" Rey asked, longing to pull Ben into her arms.

"This is where it gets… complicated," Ben told them. "The Untrustworthy Knight must prove his worth to his brothers. They must see his acts and they must approve it as well. It's not a one time thing, like 'here is my act,' - although it could be if the knights agree to it - it's over a course of time. Trust is gradually restored, and then the Distrusting Knight must serve in humility until such time that it pleases his Master. The record is three years."

"Goodness, this has happened before?" C-3PO exclaimed, jolting Finn who seemed to forget he was there.

Ben nodded. "Twice in my class. Fraja never doubted me again."

"What happens if the knight's acts are not accepted?" Rose asked, "Or if the knight refuses to perform them?"

Ben was silent, staring at the ground for moments before answering quietly, "They die." He looked at Rose, his entire body seeming to shrink for a moment as he added slightly louder, "Shark tank, remember?"

"That's why you let the Ikher Two go," Finn breathed, realization blooming on his face. "You had to perform an act."

Ben nodded. "If I didn't, then I risk the Knights confronting me here," He looked up to the hills that gradually darkened, the clamor of the waves crashing over rocks calling out to them. "The Caretakers are too innocent to earn such a visit."

"Not because you didn't want us to get hurt?" Rose asked, lifting an eyebrow.

Ben shrugged, "You're being trained to get hurt. But if it's any consolation, you cannot take them on. Not yet. They'd be like fighting me, but with more landed punches."

"It's true," Rey told them. "I've seen them fight."

"How could you live with such jerks?" Rose scoffed, setting her bowl down.

"I knew what to expect from them," He answered immediately, "All I had to do was watch my back. That was easy with Snoke pushing me beyond my limits further and further. They didn't dare touch me. It became comfortable."

"And you didn't want to go home to Han and Leia?" Finn asked.

Ben's feelings flashed loudly, a cacophonous wail of sorrow and longing that the three of them shifted, Finn and Rose each cringing into themselves. Ben had wanted to go home each minute of his training. But his parents had given him to Luke who tried to kill him. They saw him as a danger, one they didn't have the time or patience to diffuse. He had no choice but to succeed.

"I wanted to be a little boy again," He muttered, loud enough for Rey to hear and for Finn and Rose to strain. "But that never happened, so I focused on becoming someone else. Someone who didn't fear his own family. Didn't fear a thing at all."

"Kylo Ren," Rey breathed.

He looked up at her, tired and worn as though the very act of opening himself up to his apprentices was equal to pushing rocks up mountains with his bare hands.

"Kylo Ren," He said.

SWSWSW

The Caretakers were hidden musicians. There had to be music to their monthly gatherings (the Padawans had always been too tired from training to attend a party, and no one dared to ask Master Ren), and that meant practice. The night was perfect with not too much wind, and rainless, so three of the reptile-like Caretakers pulled out long, wooden flutes, and began to whistle in the dim, surrounding a large, peat moss fire, tooting first quick, sharp whistles, then long, rhythmic hiccups.

At once, Finn and Rose moved closer to them, swaying to their quick and light tunes although they couldn't be doing more than simply warming up. Rey lifted in her seat to see them play, but stayed close to Ben, smiling as the notes floated through her like cool fingers.

"You don't want to join them?"

She turned and saw Ben reclining in his rocky seat, leaning close to her. She shook her head, and leaned back for him to hear her soft words. "I don't want you to be alone."

He glanced at Finn as he stood with his hand extended to Rose, encouraging her to dance with him. Rose grinned at Finn, shaking her head in meager protest but stood anyway, and took both his hands. Ben turned back to Rey, his eyes deep and inviting like a midnight tidepool, and whispered, "What if I want to be alone with you?"

Rey's body felt like a grenade in a field of electricity as his words sunk in. She looked over her shoulder to where C-3PO was twittering away with a Caretaker, watching the proceedings of the music lesson, then reached for Ben's hand. With one look, he was on his feet with her, and she began pulling him away from the village. There was a place, she knew it by heart now, where the sea cows left the island in favor of sleepless fishing grounds somewhere in the deep. A place she had long thought about going with Ben, when the time was right.

It was low tide by the time they got there, the swathe of tidepools that could have been large baths if one was lucky enough. They were outlined in the moonlight, like seashells placed with their curved backs upward, as though they too were hiding secrets. Rey turned back to Ben, wondering if he was thinking the same as she was. By the look of his grin and eyes that smoldered only for her, the message had been well received. They stopped near a particular pool, one that was neither too deep or too shallow, and dropped their hands. They knew the water would be cold, like nearly everything on this system, but that didn't matter.

Rey looked back at Ben, seeing the same nervous anticipation on his face as she felt throughout her core. She swallowed, then kicked off her shoes. Then pulled off her poncho that protected her from the cool night air. Then lifted her shirt over her head to reveal her flat stomach and wrapped breasts. Ben stared, wide eyed, at her boldness. He licked his lips, then reached up and removed his cloak, followed by his tunic and black undershirt, then his boots. His muscles bulged as they usually did, but this time he shivered. With excitement or cold, Rey couldn't tell.

They took a step up the sides of the pool, then another, then entered it, the water shocking Rey's system so much that she gasped and wanted to run, but Ben's gaze didn't let her. He reached for her, his hands gripping her upper arms so that she was both a captive, and a brake, desired and untouchable. She lifted her hands, smoothing his chest with moisture, the movement easing his grip and feeling his heart hammer like a stampede beneath her palm, racing against hers. He adjusted his hands to slide under her arms, his palms and thumbs touching the tender part of her sides, shivering as she touched his shoulders.

Then, he was kissing her, and she was kissing him back.

Oh, what was this fire that burned within her? How could such cold water not evaporate as they tilted their heads this way and that to better kiss the other? She slid her fingers into his hair, the feel reminding her of ruffled canvas, and let herself be squeezed tightly to his chest. With his arms, he lifted her off the bedrock, and sacrificed the strong embrace to guide her legs to wrap around his waist, his face now turned upward to catch her lively kisses. Her lips brushed his forehead, his cheekbones, even his eyes and nose. His moistened her jaw, her throat, under her ears, then back to her lips. What beast was this thing called love?

How was this possible, a part of Rey's brain asked, feeling his hands glide over her thighs back to her waist. How did they get this far? Nearly six years ago, they were mortal enemies, now they could not see beyond this moment of passion. This fervent kissing in a pool of water…

Rey wrenched her head back, just as she felt something solid brush against her lower back, thrusting her eyes open to see that he had moved them to the edge of the tidepool. "Ben," She breathed, prompting his eyes to flutter open.

"What?" He gasped, his lips still finding hers for quick, sweet spurts.

"Ben," She reached back, and used her hips to push him away for a moment to catch her breath. "Ben, our dreams."

He panted, thought obviously coming slower due to the cold water. "What?"

"Our dreams," Rey pressed, "The ones where we're kissing in a pool of water."

He paused, his chest halting it's movement as he thought. He shook his head, "I don't want to think of that, right now. I just want to be with you. Please? Just us two, not the Force."

Everything within her wanted to stop. To ponder the implications of this correct dream, but at the sight of his eyes, so beautiful as they smoldered and pleaded for her lips, she pushed her caution aside and brought her face to his.

He pressed his hand to the back of her head, forcing her to make up for her interruption. Caught in the cradle of his elbow, Rey had no choice but to let him lean her back onto the cold rock that seared her spine, and peered up at him as he kissed once, twice, then lifted her neck to plant kisses onto her throat, then her breastbone. She gasped, an involuntary response to his great hands smoothing over her breasts and lingered there for a moment, before continuing to kiss her stomach. Rey placed her hands on either side of her temples, gasping and inhaling at the feel of his lips pressing and tickling her bare flesh, her knees unable to keep still, coaxing from her feelings she never knew existed. She arched her back as he moved to return to her lips, offering him more, yearning for more, willing him to go further.

Suddenly, his hands left her and splashing vaulted all around her, frigid laps flowing to her sides and stealing her arousal from her. She sat up, her mind devoid of all thought, eyes wide. Ben had flown from her body, his own eyes impossibly wide as he stared at her, hands gripping the ledge of the pool behind him, his chest heaving.

"I can't," He breathed, mussed hair in his face. "I can't. I can't."

Rey righted herself and slid back into the pool, her head and shoulders the only things above the water. "Ben," She cooed, "I want you to."

She lifted her body so that the beginning curves of her wrapped breasts could be seen, and reached up where the knot keeping them secured was.

"Stop!" He gasped, looking from her hands, to her face. "Stop, please!"

She looked at him, seeing his lust replaced with sheer terror. Him, of all people. But, she realized as she dropped her hands, that he wasn't an ordinary person. He was a Knight of Ren, a keeper of strict rules that included abstinence from "fraternizing" with women. Whatever fraternizing meant to the Knights of Ren, she could guess that he was uncomfortably close to breaking that rule if she so much as touched him any further.

Rey crossed her arms in front of her, taking a shoulder in each palm. "I'm cold," She said sheepishly.

His eyes deflated, though a large part of his lust remained. "You get out first. I, ugh, need a minute."

She had a strong urge to ask, "a minute to do what?" But thought against it. Instead, she turned and pulled herself from the pool, hearing him exhale deeply, "Oh man."

SWSWSW

It took three days for Ben to feel he could look Rey in the eye again. What was this feeling?! This powerlessness to feel life continue until he saw her in the morning, this gasping for air when she walked passed, almost prancing as she smiled at him. He used to be the Terror of the Galaxy but now? Now she had awakened within him a deep feeling that he never knew was there, and would probably never go away again. Though, in all reality it wasn't entirely her fault. He had felt it coming, felt it wearing him down for years since the first time Snoke bridged their minds.

It wasn't enough, though. Being in love wasn't enough. He wanted to possess her, keep her safe like a pen in his pocket, (though the thought of a pen wasn't the right word, he kept imagining it would turn into a lightsaber rather than write). But how? He had offered a sort of union to her once, and she denied him. The second time she accepted, could there be a third? And how would that third…

He lifted his chin, feeling the answer smack him in the forehead like the suicidal porg that whacked into Rose's chest as she climbed a walkway carrying oysters.

Marriage.

He could marry Rey. Or, she could marry him. Get married, that was the proper term. Two people becoming one flesh. He smiled to himself at that prospect. Being able to see Rey, to touch her, without fear or hesitation to the lengths that she wanted him to touch her. Like when he ran his finger down her back when he took off her black gown, and when she was ready to expose herself completely to him… He looked to the grass beside him, noting the color of the blades, then at the porg feathers that fluttered near but not touching him, then to the ocean with lapping waves, willing his heart to stop bothering him.

What was more, he could be there for her, openly. He could provide for her, spoil her. His queen, with all the privileges she should have had as a child given to her now as his…

He looked at her, watching as she twirled a long stick that served as their practice swords, showing Finn a technique that he had been struggling with. What Ben would have given to be able to run up to her, snatch her into his arms, and twirl her around before begging her to marry him. He inhaled, dousing his fire with a smirk. He would have to be patient. Just as he had waited to invite her to come away with him, he would wait to propose. He did require a ring, after all.

Rey cast Ben a look, a loving look with a small, tight smile, that she hid quickly in favor of looking at Finn. Her discretion needs significant work, Ben thought because Finn turned to look at him, then at her. The wind whipped around them, a reaction to strong emotion uncontrolled. Finn would be a force to be reckoned with when he had years more training. Perhaps as strong then as Rey was now.

Finn stiffly followed Rey's instruction for about ten more minutes, before feigning some excuse and sauntered off. Rey sighed, watching him place the practice sword on the supply stand that was really a tall, flat rock. She had lost her best friend and nothing she could do would bring him back.

The wind continued to whip around them, and Ben stood suddenly, his ears perked for it to call again. From her spot, Rey turned towards him, her features focused on the horizon, her body rigid. She felt it, too.

From the corner, still picking porg feathers from her top robe, Rose moved towards them, "Did you guys hear that?"

But they said nothing. This call wasn't heard, it was felt. Something was going to happen, something to the three of them.

SWSWSW

Ben flew from his pillow, chest heaving and cold air nearly freezing the sweat upon his neck. He blinked, seeing nothing for moments but rather allowing his sense of awareness recapture him. He was on Ach-To, he was in his bed alone. It was even raining outside. He inhaled deeply, his eyes focusing on the stone wall directly in front of him. The porgs were not screeching alarm, they probably were not even awake yet. Something to his right moved and he gasped, hand shooting out for his lightsaber.

"Master Ren?" The timid, female voice whispered.

It was Rose. He exhaled deeply, shoulders sagging. "What is it?" He demanded.

Rose's figure in the dim shifted, and her voice was not any better. "Master, forgive me. But it's Rey,"

Ben looked sharply to her voice, "Rey?"

Something moved, a nod. "She's… she's screaming. I think she's having a nightmare but when I went inside to wake her…"

She trailed off as Ben flung the blankets off him and strode to his cloak hanging by the door frame. The village and it's stone pathway he could walk blindfolded, especially when it came to Rey's hut. In the darkness, he might as well have been blind, seeing dark skies with stars and even darker mounds against them. Rey's hut was two stone mounds away from his, and his stride was so quick that he had barely shouldered his cloak when he was at her door, listening for life within.

She was there, he could feel her presence. But that was not what frightened him about this encounter. Inside, she was whimpering, perhaps even moaning, but she was definitely crying. Ben made no attempt to announce himself, he simply used the Force to open her door and walked in.

Rey was still sleeping. Or tossing, rather, upon her pallet, knees pressed tightly into her chest and hair tangled upon her face. She rolled facing Ben, biting her lip as she whimpered in deep pain.

"Rey," Ben breathed, crossing the distance towards her, seating himself on her pallet and taking her into his arms. Rey's skin was warm to the touch though her sweat was as frigid as the sea around them. Ben looked over his shoulder as Rose's figure swayed nervously from side to side.

"Rose, build us a fire." He commanded, then turned back to Rey. "Rey," He breathed, placing his hands on both her shoulders. "Rey, baby wake up! Wake up for me!" He shook her, moving against her nightmarish jolts so that within seconds, she was gasping and blinking in his arms.

Her chest heaved and her eyes were wide, her face pointed away from him as she came to grips with her reality. Suddenly, she looked at him, "My mother."

Ben nodded, immediately recalling the sight of an older woman with Rey's brown hair, Rey's button nose, gasping and crawling over dunes and dunes of scalding sand.

"I had the same nightmare, Rey. Your mother was looking for you."

She shook her head, bottom lip quivering, "My mother! She died… she died looking for me! Calling for me! She was coming back to where she sold me! She was coming back,"

She trailed off, her tears making her shoulders shudder violently. Ben's chest constricted as he moved her frail body to better hold her, the Force generously giving to him the same heartbreak she felt.

"Rey, look at me," Ben urged, moving to face her. "Rey, baby look at me. Look at me!"

She would not be still. Rey whimpered and cried, repeating the nightmare of her mother, a lonely, worn out woman, dragging herself through the desert and vowing to come back to her lost daughter.

Ben gave a short exhale and swooped forward, his lips connecting with hers. Rey recoiled, but she stopped fighting him, allowing her breathing to soften for a moment. Ben pulled away, eyes connecting with Rey's, really connecting, for the first time that night.

He seized the moment, "Rey, your mother, died, trying to reconcile her mistake."

She flinched, but her hands curled around his, hanging on to his every word.

"Your mother, is buried on Jakku. We will never know exactly why she and your father sold you," He released his right hand and pulled her close, "But you're here now. You're safe; you're not a scavenger anymore." He pulled her head to rest upon his chest, her hand releasing his to latch onto his shoulder. He continued, "Most importantly, your family is here, on this island. Surrounded by water."

Rey shuddered, her tears coming warm onto his bare chest, but she was at peace. Ben rested his cheek onto her tangled hair, using his free arm to wrap around her and stroke her side with his thumb.

A flash of light pulsed in the night, reminding Ben that Rose was still in the room trying to make up a fire. He smirked, not needing the Force to tell him that she was deeply uncomfortable with this intimacy between her master and his best student. Perhaps Rey had truly kept the mystery of their relationship to Rose and Finn as just that: a mystery. Fire caught the straw beneath rare kindling and Rose blew on it gently, nurturing a flame until it caught, providing the blackened hut with flickering orange.

Rey shifted and she pulled away from Ben, showing him a face wet with pain, but her overall demeanor was relaxed. "I'm sorry I woke you," She muttered.

Ben shrugged, "I would have awakened the same time you did."

She inhaled, holding her breath for a second before blowing it out. "I wish for the other dream…" Her eyes locked onto his.

He cupped her face, thumbing away the trail of moisture from her eyelashes. He leaned in, his heart sputtering. She was so lovely in the firelight-

"Master Ren, I'm going to go, now!"

They flinched away from each other, Ben dropping his hand to grip his knees. He looked to Rose and nodded, "Thank you for waking me, Rose."

"Yes, thank you." Rey told her, hardly making eye contact with her.

Rose scampered out, her figure smothered by the night as soon as she stepped out the door. Ben turned back to Rey, seeing her shiver once more.

"I can stay,"

She shook her head, "I don't want you to." She flicked her eyes to him, "Not tonight, at least."

"You shouldn't dream any more tonight, Rey."

She nodded, "I know. I won't."

He studied her, she was plotting something, he could tell. He stood, "Good night, Rey. I'll see you in the morning."

Rey nodded, "Goodnight, Ben."

SWSWSW

Rey waited for an hour, holding herself as she replayed over and over again the sight of her mother panting and dehydrating in the Jakku sun. Had she succumbed to the Walk? Was she delusional and clinging on to the only semblance of living, something greater than water? As she waited, one thing became clear: her mother had wanted her. Her mother was trying to find her.

An hour passed, and she could wait no more. She reached around her palette and grabbed her bag, packed with items that were of no use here on such a chilly system as Ach-To. Quickly, she stuffed her spare set of robes and broken lightsaber into it. Before leaving her hut, she thrust out her hand above her head, moving through the village until she felt her staff slap into her open palm.

Unthinking, she reached a ledge that overlooked the broiling sea, a wriggling grey mat in the early hours. She swallowed, and set down her bag and staff. Her eyes fluttered closed as her arm stretched outwards, feeling for it, that very obvious new addition that had the Padawans gasping for breath as soon as they realized what it was. Their private joke with their master, an escape. She would imagine that there would have been a great crashing sound, a deafening roar at the breach of the surface, but there was hardly a sound. She opened her eyes and saw the beautiful, sleek _Raven Starr_ hovering, dripping sheets of salt water off it's touching triangular wings. It moved slowly, landing perfectly on the flat landing surface where she and Poe had parked spacecraft before, and dropped her hand.

She inhaled, and looked over her shoulder, "Good bye Ben. Take care of Finn and Rose, please."

Then she stooped to gather her things, and walked down the path towards the ship.

 _Please Review! I like hearing from you guys!_


	21. Chapter 21

_Twilight is falling, the fighters have begun to pant. Our tale is nearly over now, leave your comments at the last._

Chapter 21

Jakku

Unkar Plutt waddled around his junkheap, grumbling to himself about the new batch of salvaged parts that had come in. Since the war had neared Jakku more often, he had seen an uptick in good merchandise, meaning that he needed to dole out more and more full portions. Not good for his end, but then again he could always gouge the system more. Unkar scratched his stomach and belched, looking through the night as he moved. Scavengers usually came around midday to twilight, hoping to-

Rey smacked him with her staff, knocking him onto his rear with a muted _thud!_

"What on earth?" He grumbled, forced to move his entire body to his side to press a paw to his nose.

"You knew, didn't you?"

He rolled back and started in the dust. In the back of her mind, Rey wondered how she looked to him. Tall and robed, wielding that staff of hers that levelled so many that dared to confront her, standing over him with a look she reserved only for Teedos and drunkards looking for some "fun" at her expense.

"Well," He grumbled, rocking back and forth, back and forth, until he could give her some of his attention. "Brought back my ship, have you?"

"You knew," She insisted, jabbing her staff into his fat chest as she spoke. "You knew my mother came looking for me." Her chest heaved, her eyes seeing red as this Crolute struggled before her, "And you said nothing."

"For what purpose?" Unkar belched. "She was dead when we found her."

A part of Rey's being died at his words. What filled it was pure rage. "Why did she sell me to you?"

"Get this thing off me!" He whined, pawing at the staff.

Rey lifted her staff a foot off his chest, but demanded again, "Why did my mother sell me to you?"

"Good sale that was!" He scoffed, moaning as he wiggled to his side, trying to stand. "You've been nothing but trouble to me since that day!"

Rey speared him, thrusting him to the dust. "Tell me!" She shouted.

"How should I know?" He squealed, legs kicking near to her. "I didn't ask! I just saw a pretty little girl that could earn me an even greater payday."

Rey dropped her arms, staring at him. He had no reason to lie, and that was the part that killed her the most. She swallowed, she had forgotten how the dry air was so absorbing. "Then where is she buried?"

Unkar groaned, able to pull himself to a proper sitting position after a time. He exhaled, looking like a pile of Bantha dung.

"We gave her body to Jank Mallo to deal with."

Rey looked at him. She hadn't seen Jank Mallo since she was a girl. Without another glance to him, Rey turned her heel and walked away, leaving him hollering and cursing at her as he struggled in the dirt to stand.

Jank Mallo's Hut was a sight unlike anything seen on Jakku. About thirty minutes from Neema Outpost, it shone like a ruby in the night, or a hot coal. As Rey drove close to it on her "borrowed" hovercraft, she could hear music twanging among the stars, and the laughs of patrons and residents ringing out like they were music themselves. Rey exhaled deeply, turning to park her hovercraft among the lot of others, hearing another patron drive a short distance behind her.

The smell of incense hit her the moment she neared the door, the same smell that had revolted her when Unkar Plutt brought her here the first time. It was incense mixed with another smell, one that she had not disgraced herself with, for what this place was was disgraceful. She inhaled, summoning her strength, and wrenched the door open.

Lanterns hung from the ceiling in dozens of red lamps, illuminating fine woven rugs from local animals' fur. Around her, women danced in intoxicated wispy movements, dressed in skirts that looked more of loincloths and tops that revealed as much of their breasts as possible while keeping the important parts covered. Rey stiffened at these women, glad of her robes that covered her perfectly. At once, these women flocked to her, caressing her face and arms, daring her to touch them back, urging her to let herself go. Rey shouldered away from them, in time to see a muscular man with a gold collar around his neck step forward, flexing his muscles at her and smiling. His eyes were blue, but he seemed intoxicated, almost dead inside.

"Where is Jank Mallo?" Rey asked him.

The man swayed at the name, his intoxication evident as two thinner men came forth, both with collars, one more aware than the other.

Rey tried again, a little louder this time, "I need to speak to Jank Mallo."

"Who's asking?"

Rey whirled around, seeing an elegant woman about one hundred years old, wearing the same attire as the women but in purple, her hair piled high on her head. She sat half resting on another muscular man, smoking a pipe while the man massaged her shoulder.

Jank exhaled a puff of smoke and grinned, showing her two missing teeth and the rest either black or extremely yellow. "I remember you," She rasped. "You're Safi's Rey."

A lightness touched Rey's shoulders. Safi, her mother's name was Safi and she had told Jank about her daughter. Rey moved towards the elegant woman. "I need to know where my mother is buried."

Jank coughed what Rey knew to be a laugh. "Still demanding, I see." She turned to the big man behind her and caressed the side of his face. "And why should I do that? You ran away from here, you owe me your life."

"Show me where my mother is," Rey demanded, lowering her chin. Her chest was unbearably tight, as were her fists. She flexed them as the elderly woman turned back to her.

"I think you'll earn your keep, first."

The Force screamed alarm at Rey and she ducked as a pair of arms swooped at her. Pulling from her robe her broken lightsaber Rey ignited it, sheer rage keeping the pain from distracting her from slicing the big man's legs out from under him. He barely had time to scream when Rey stood tall, bringing her lightsaber with her to slice the man perfectly in half.

The music halted as quickly as the man's parts hit the exotic floor, and Jank's cool stature tightened as she sat up, admiring more the lightsaber than her halved slave.

"Well, when you put it that way."

Rey turned to see her rise shakily from the couch and headed to her side.

She was a short thing that only came up to Rey's shoulder, a drastic change to when Rey was left here. Jank was a fearsome creature, loathsome to be sure, but she had frightened Rey the most. Her cruelty had been the reason Rey escaped as soon as she could. Rey's resourcefulness, her ability to identify key parts of ships and her willingness to go where some scavengers wouldn't, that's why Unkar Plutt revoked his deal with Jank. No one owned Rey, everyone who had tried, failed. Miserably.

Jank moved down a corridor, her ancient hips swaying as though she still had something to offer patrons herself. Rey knew this place, committed it to memory because it was so scarring on a little girl. In nearly all the rooms on either side, moans of men and women huffed and cried out in pleasure. Through the red lit corridor, Rey had known that this was to be her life if she stayed another night there. A room not her own, a man from who knew where, and doing….

She shook her head, focusing on Jank's direction. She wanted to do what these women were doing, yes. But with Ben, it was… better. Right. _Love…_ This wasn't love, this was disgusting.

Jank fiddled with her skirt, and withdrew a long, iron key, (from where Rey had no idea). "This is locked, because of you." She grumbled, peering at Rey from over her shoulder.

Rey smiled in her face, though she felt no joy in it.

The door was unlocked, revealing a more cared for desert space outlined with rock and tiles from the interior of old Empire ships. Rey had seen this place, come to think of it, but it never registered what it was until now.

A cemetery, where the women who couldn't escape were buried. "Well come on, then!" Jank bossed, jerking her head towards the cemetery. "Some Teedos found her in the desert," Jank continued, "Brought her to Unkar, wanted to see if there was a bounty on her. None, really. Just the necklace she stole."

A hole punched through Rey's chest as she moved passed pebble outlined grave after pebble outlined grave. They had no names, most likely imitating death as in life, but Jank moved on, halting at a particular grave. "There she is, Little Miss Stupid."

Rey glared at her, "Why do you call her that?"

Jank scoffed, "Because she earned it! Or didn't you know?" She leered at Rey, her beady eyes sweeping her frame for any sign of prior knowledge. "You don't remember, do you?"

Rey inhaled, thinking back to her days as a girl. No, not to then, to when she built her first hovercraft to better scavenge. When she fought her first Teedo with the first generation model of her staff. Not when she was held as a loved child. Not when she ran to her father's arms. Those memories were obscure to her, nonexistent even. She dropped her chin, and shook her head.

Jank leaned away, chuckling. "Your mum was one of my girls. Came to me when she was about your age, looking for a way to survive. I gave her a bed, took eighty percent of her take. Life was fine. But then that bastard of an ex officer came up here, drunk to high heaven, and demanded exclusive right to have her. I didn't mind, so long as he paid, which he did for a time. Then Safi got herself pregnant, and told the father. Rule number one of pregnancy: don't tell the fathers, let them figure it out on their own. Anyways, it scared him, but he kept coming around like the idiot he was, and one day, took her from me! Just like that," She scooped her arms in front of her and tossed them over her shoulder.

"Safi must have had you, and your dad…" She trailed off, shaking her head and coughing. "They were on again, off again. He wouldn't commit, you see? Crash landed here, didn't want to stay here. Not even for a girl and baby."

Rey blinked, the truth sinking in.

"When Unkar brought you here, he must have had an epiphany. Wanted your mum, but not you. And your mum was more than willing to let you go to me." Jank leaned her head back as though triumphant that she had remembered a validation.

Rey lowered her eyes, finding the graves. "Which one is hers?"

Jank stepped out of the way, pointing to the grave directly behind her. "Mummy dearest, right there."

Rey stepped forward, looking at the grave, measuring it with her eyes. Taller than her, probably, but that was all. Nothing more to tell her about her mother.

"She came back," Rey breathed.

"What?"

Rey turned to Jank, "She came back for me. I saw it in a dream. I saw the area where she died, I could take you there. She was calling for me."

"What was she calling?" Jank asked, shifting as though genuinely interested.

Rey lifted her eyebrow, "Rey. My name."

Jank stared at her, eyes widening, "You think… you really think your name is 'Rey?'" She tilted her head back to her shoulders and laughed, genuinely laughed until her cackles could be heard echoing off the nearest dunes.

Rey watched her as her entire body shook, yearning to punch her into the next system. "What's so funny?" She shouted, her voice so deep it scratched her throat.

Jank righted herself, and still guffawing, turned over her shoulder. "OIO – REY!" She screeched, almost hurting Rey's ears.

Almost at once, two girls and a boy burst through the back door of the hut and aligned themselves outside of the cemetery, each looking nearly identical to the other.

"Here they are," Jank told her, "Rays of sunshine all, and plenty to go around." She allowed herself a quick snort before continuing. "Born of my girls, with nowhere to go but to serve or lie down… just like you, dear."

Rey stared at them as they peered curiously at her. No, this wasn't right.

"You know what?" Jank said, pointing at her, "Yeah, I remember. You were the only Rey when they brought you, that's why you think that's your name."

The hole in Rey's chest widened, the edges burning her. "What is my name?" A voice familiar to her own asked.

Jank shrugged, "You didn't have one. That or Unkar didn't ask. He usually does, but Safi probably didn't give you one. Didn't want to be attached when she dropped you here."

"But she didn't bring me here!" Rey yelled.

"Nah," Jank agreed, smiling, "But she knew Unkar didn't take girls as scavengers. Don't know what needs selling. She knew the moment she took her credits and ran with that good for nothing where you'd end up, first thing."

Rey turned back to the grave, feeling the tears shoot to her eyes like waves meeting rock. From the corner of her eye, the other Reys scurried off, and Jank swaggered to her.

"Not so high an' mighty now, are you?" She taunted. "Now you're all alone with nothing but the truth."

"She's not alone."

His presence was like a sentinel in the darkness, a pillar of light in the black. A warm hug dozens of feet away that doused the burning parts of Rey's heart, though it didn't completely heal.

"Oh, good sir!" Jank purred, flashing her rotting teeth. "Welcome, welcome-"

"You will leave us alone," Ben's voice commanded. "You will not tell anyone what you said here tonight."

Jank stood tall and serious. Then repeated, "I will leave you alone, and not tell anyone what I said here tonight."

From the corner of her eye, Rey could see her walk away back inside, those swaying hips tamed for a moment. She could feel Ben move closer to her, but she didn't turn. She couldn't face him nor wonder how he hid himself from the Force for so long. The tears came hot with fury from one eye, and cold with loss the other.

"Why didn't you want me?"

Ben touched her upper arms, and kissed her hair.

" _I_ want you, Rey," He told her.

"That's not even my real name," She cried.

"Yes, it is." He breathed into her temple. "You are a moon ray, calm and mysterious. Keeper of secrets and of hidden beasts. You draw people to you like the tide, able to let ships land on you because you are firm," He wrapped his arms around her middle, "Safe."

SWSWSW

AT-AT Camp

30 Miles Outside of Neema Outpost

Rey had stopped crying some time ago, and now sat hugging her knees in a position of comfort, the carcass of a long expired, long scavenged AT-AT at her back. It seemed a good enough time to join her, so Ben walked, feet digging in the soft sand, and seated himself next to her, his bottom sinking into the sand almost uncomfortably.

"So, this was where you were," He said, eyes scanning the dunes of sheer blue nothingness. They would be beige in the next half hour, but for now they were blue.

Rey nodded. "This is where I was sold… and born, I guess." She looked at him, prompting him to turn. She was so pretty, especially among the sands. "I… don't know what I'm supposed to do with my life now. I had hoped," Her voice broke, "I had wanted…"

He nodded. "Me too. But, we're only given one family. What they decide to do with it is their affair. Not ours."

"I've felt family with the Rebellion." She turned back to the dunes, hesitant. "And with you," She looked back at him. "You I've felt a deeper connection with."

He smirked, but it faded quickly. "So, what are you going to do now?"

She looked down to the sand between them for a moment. "I've found purpose among the Rebellion. But, I still feel like I'm lost."

Ben parted his lips, "I know exactly what you're going through. You have this feeling inside of you. It's always been there, always spoken to you. But now, you feel like it's gotten out of hand, like it's restless. You find comfort in using the Force, but it's not enough. It's never enough. You were waiting for your family because you were hoping that maybe, just maybe, they felt it too. Your one link to something normal, and now it's gone."

Rey nodded, but said nothing.

Ben continued, "I felt the same thing with Snoke and the Knights of Ren. With the Knights of Ren, I had a family, and in the First Order, I had purpose. With Snoke, I found what I thought was my path. It was his folly to have taken advantage of it."

Her face softened. He knew that she knew he was right. Slowly, he moved from her side to kneel in front of her. He lifted his hands to touch her, but hesitated. This next moment had to be real, as real as the day he first reached out to her. He grabbed his gloves with either hand and wrenched them from his flesh, setting them aside in the dust. She watched him, and inhaled before releasing her knees. Uncertainly, she held her hands above the warm sands, waiting for him to move.

He sat up straight, ignoring the shifting sands beneath his knees. "Rey," He began, "Will you be my family?"

She peered up at him, her eyes wide. "What?" She breathed.

He swallowed, moving his eyes to her shoulder. "We know what it is like to come from failed families, and we know what it is like to be on opposing sides of the Force." He met her gaze, "You and I, we're still learning our abilities. We are perfectly balanced; We don't have to be alone anymore. We can vow to be together, to provide for one another… to love one another. Rey," He slid his palm over her knees facing upward, and pleaded, "Will you be my family?"

Please don't shut me out, He thought. Please don't leave me again. I won't survive a second time.

She looked at his hand, her body quivering. Slowly, her hand lifted from her side, her fingers shaking. She exhaled, and rested her palm above his, adjusting her hand to fit perfectly in his. She looked at him, and smiled, "Yes, Ben. I'll be your family."

Ben smiled, tears ready to hurtle down his face as he closed his fingers over hers. She had chosen him! She had chosen him! He lifted her knuckles to his lips, and kissed her bare flesh.

"I don't even know my family's name," She whispered, looking at him.

He hesitated, "I can help you with that."

She nodded, leaning closer, her attention locked on him. "How?"

"I read it in the textbooks," He told her. "To do this," He began, switching hands to hold both of hers placidly before them, "You need to heed my every word. Do you understand?"

"Yes," She nodded.

"One slip, and you will be stuck in the dark and I might not be able to get to you."

She inhaled and exhaled, "Okay. I'm listening."

Ben swallowed, "Close your eyes." She obeyed, the Force snapping to attention around them. "Reach out. Tell me what you see."

He watched her, admiring how her eyes flicked back and forth under her eyelids, her breathing serene.

"Light," She breathed, "Death. And… life. Chaos and peace. And between them all… balance."

He smiled, seeing exactly what she was telling him, feeling her frustration that she could not adequately explain seeing the scorching suns shooting across the sky in trodden ruts or the skeletons of those unfortunate to be caught by their rays. Then the lives of those few creatures that swam among the dunes, and found refuge in the shade. The roughness of Neema outpost criminals hiding from authorities, and the families who worked and thrived on selling scraps scavenged from who-knew-where. Ben dared to look down and away, and saw floating about them were fine grains of sand and small rocks.

"That balance is the Force," Ben continued, returning to her. "Now Rey, are you listening to me?"

"Yes," Her voice sounded lazy, but he knew that she was still attentive.

"I want you to focus on the dark," He squeezed her hands a fraction tighter as though letting her go would open up a hole in the ground and consume her.

Ben closed his eyes, finding the Force she saw until they stood, side-by-side within it, standing over a great sandstone precipice. The wind blew over it, giving the precipice a voice, a raspy, hollow voice, that sounded more like a dying moan than of anything living.

"You're here," Rey breathed, turning to look at him.

"Focus on the precipice," Ben told her softly, immediately turning her head. "What is it doing?"

"It's calling me," She told him.

"How is it calling you?"

She frowned. "It's… _calling_ me. Not my name, just, drawing me near."

"Rey, stay with me. Demand that the dark call you by your name. Speak it if you have to."

"Call me by my name," She murmured.

Ben waited, holding her hand beside her in the Force. "Ask it again."

"Call me by my name," She shivered, "There. It's calling me 'Rey.'"

Ben shook his head, "No, Rey is the name you gave yourself. That woman called you a ray of sunshine. She meant it in spite, but you saw it as a good thing: An end to your bad dreams." He hesitated, then added, "Your mother never gave you a name of your own. But you have a family name. Demand it. The Force knows it and the dark side is willing to speak it. What is your name, child of Jakku?"

She inhaled, a tear hovering in her sealed eyelids. "What is my name?"

Ben squeezed Rey's hands as she leaned forward, "Lean back, don't go into the dark. Only speak."

The horizon over the precipice reddened and yellowed, a perfect flame of lightning cutting across the sky as though in revolt of Rey's audacity to ask once more, "What is my name?"

Beyond the Force, in their own realm, Ben could feel the objects around them begin to billow his hair, but he ignored it. "Child of Jakku," He breathed calmly, "What is your name?"

SW

Rey could hear Ben only faintly now, the result of, she didn't know exactly. It wasn't the roaring of the precipice, but rather she simply, unheard, Ben speaking.

As sudden as the reds and yellows began to darken and growl, the noise followed by the colors and the precipice itself, disappeared.

She whirled around, the movement quick, and panted, seeing only the bleached flatlands of Jakku.

"Ben!" She cried. Only, it wasn't the voice she had become accustomed to. It was a little girl screaming, a little girl flailing about in the desert.

"Hello?" She called, fear beginning to rise in her chest. She had no water. Did she need it here? It wasn't hot at all, but what about shade?

She looked left, and saw the figure of a man walk towards her. His figure was blurry, much like a deadly mirage. Except that Rey didn't feel the usual danger that she used to feel when her mind played tricks and showed her a calm oasis. That meant that this man was real.

The man took his time approaching her, allowing his frame to solidify in the heatless desert. He wore a dark brown cloak and tan robes much like Finn's, however, attached to his belt, clear and glinting, was a lightsaber. This man even had a tan beard, and kind brown eyes that smiled long before he did.

"Well, hello there," He grinned.

"Are you from the dark side?" Rey asked, instantly hating the helplessness of her voice.

"No, little one," He smiled.

"Then are you my family? My father?"

He chuckled and knelt before her. "No, I'm not your father. I am your," He booped her nose, "Grandfather."

Rey couldn't help but smile, and feel warm down to her toes. "I get my name from you?"

"You get your power from me, little one. I was a Jedi, a long time ago."

Rey hesitated, then asked, "Did you know Luke Skywalker?"

"I trained him. He was my last student. My very first was his father, Anakin. Ben Solo's grandfather."

"Darth Vader?" Rey asked, leaning away.

The man's eyes saddened for a moment, and she regretted speaking. "Yes, I trained Darth Vader. He thought the darkness could save the one he loved. It only consumed him. Only when he had a reason to love again did he return to the Light."

"What is your name, grandfather?"

He chuckled, the light returning to his eyes, "My name, is Obi-Wan. What's yours?"

"I'm Rey," Rey answered, looking away. "One of many."

"Oh no you're not," He declared, bringing her eyes to him. "There's only one Rey like you, and you're it." He sat back onto the firm ground and invited her to sit on his lap. "Your mother led a very hard life, little Rey. She was kidnapped from her mother, my lover, when she was as young as you are now," He looked over her childish frame, then continued. "She was a Lady, born to rule over thousands. But that was stolen from her when the Empire came. This desert was all she came to know." He looked out among the vast dunes for a moment, and sighed. "When she met your father, she thought she had found an escape. But that came with an even harder decision." He looked at her, making Rey feel his sorrow as he said, "She chose wrong."

Rey hesitated, then said, "I didn't choose her life."

Obi-Wan smiled. "No, you didn't, did you? Not one decision that you have made was like your mother's."

"Except Ben," She said, swallowing. "I'm choosing to marry the man I love."

Obi-Wan shook his head, "There's nothing wrong with that, little one." He reached up, and moved a stray hair from her face. "You, and Ben, are choosing to learn together. Be one, together. It was something the Jedi did not allow, and so mistakes were made. There will always be passion, but there must also be peace. Serenity, but emotion as well. And love, is the greatest emotion beside rage. Balance them, little one."

"Yes, grandfather." She replied.

He smiled, "You still want to know your name, don't you? The one my daughter should have had?"

Rey nodded, "Yes, please."

SW

Ben looked to Rey in the orange light, willing her to answer him. She muttered something, something incoherent, but her lips were responding.

"Say it louder," Ben commanded, "Say it for me! What, is, your, _name?_ "

"Kenobi!" Rey shouted, her eyes flying open and yanking them from the throes of the Force to the sands of Jakku. Around them, random articles of debris swirled in a deliberate orbit, oblivious to the declaration of the living inhabitants.

Ben stared, watching her eyes turn from restless crimson to oak brown. She panted, her chest pulsing deep.

"Say it again!" He demanded.

"I am Rey Kenobi of Jakku!" She declared, her eyes pointed at his face. "I am the daughter of Safi and Kolpo! The granddaughter of Satine and Obi Wan Kenobi!"

They sat, clasping hands, both panting at this knowledge, letting it seep in that they both knew that this declaration was real, and true. Ben chuckled, wide eyed flabbergasted. Rey smiled, a chuckle bubbling within her chest as well.

As sudden as they arrived, the debris collapsed in a cloud of dust, leaving them sputtering and laughing, hands still firmly clasped together.

"How did you know that would work?" Rey coughed, waving away dust particles.

"That's how the darkness works," Ben answered, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "It needs a name to take hold of things." He smiled, admiring Rey with a brand new fascination. "Rey Kenobi of Jakku," He marveled at the words as they flowed over his tongue. "It's good to finally meet you."

Rey laughed, "It's good to finally meet you, Ben Solo."

Ben leaned forward, ready to kiss her, when a sight caught the corner of his eye. He turned, bringing Rey's attention with him. He could feel her smile the same time she did.

"It's dawning," She breathed.


	22. Chapter 22

_Cute warning! Please review!_

Chapter 22

Canto Bight

Rey moved through the casino, commanding herself to not tug on the almost lingerie-esque dress lest it snap under its tightness. At least Ben had given her his cloak, allowing her to burrow her nose in the hood and inhale his musky smell, comparing him to fine seats on a new X-Wing. She stopped behind his chair, casting a glance over the diminished gaming table before settling on him. Ben sat tall in an arm exposing, black silk vest-like shirt that hung almost to his knees with an ornate silver chain necklace at his collar bone. He sat tall, though in a more reclined position, showing Rey a handful of cards that meant absolutely nothing to her, but caused his more fish-like opponent to dab his forehead with a sweat rag.

"Best two out of three, unless you're scared?" The Pehall male taunted feebly.

"Now and pay," Ben retorted, "Don't think you can try to play me."

The sallow gills on the Pehall's neck fluttered in frustration, and he flopped his cards down on the delicate table. "Withdraw," He grumbled.

Rey smiled as Ben leaned forward to take the gold slabs of his winnings. He was Han Solo's son, after all.

A service droid wheeled in front of them, escorting them to another, more exclusive gaming room. Meanwhile, Rey clutched Ben's arm and marveled at the casino. Chandeliers of pure crystal, marble tiles, drinks of expensive liquors in glasses of every shape and color, pearls dripping from the necks of females and males, and gold everywhere she looked. The gamblers and patrons peered curiously at them as they passed, at least those who weren't focused on their gambling did. But what they focused on more was the slabs of gold the droid carried, not their faces. Rey and Ben had the fortune of realizing that Ben had never taken his mask off to anyone outside of the First Order, therefore allowing him to blend in well with the crowd (given a quick wardrobe change, of course). Clothes came relatively quickly, especially when Ben won his first stack of gold coins with in fifteen minutes of being on the casino floor after betting his lightsaber (Rey had wondered what he would have done if he'd lost it). In two hours, the gold had upgraded from coins to slabs.

The droid turned and opened a pair of doors that looked at first like soapy glass, until it chirped, "The Opal Lounge." Rey blinked as they walked through the high archway, realizing just why it was called the Opal Lounge. Mother-of-pearl panels decorated the walls, red opal balls hung from the chandelier, a solid opal table of midnight blue specked with glitter that looked like a pinwheel galaxy stood in the middle of the room, and cream colored chairs inlaid with white opal oblongs were positioned neatly around it.

"Good gracious," Rey breathed, calling Ben's attention.

"A chair would take a lifetime to earn," He whispered, his eyes also sweeping the room in awe.

She looked at him, feeling like they were two nebulas orbiting a white star. "What is the point of such opulence?" She asked, her eyes unable to remain still even when looking at him.

He gave a short snort before answering, "I guess it looks pretty."

The doors to another entrance opened, allowing the jingles from casino machines to flood in with a large, finely dressed alien of brown complexion. He sauntered in on two long stubs, his feet spread out into short claws. His face was smooth, yet held a certain rigidity that came with age, and atop his head was a puff of green hair. The moment he saw them standing there, he halted, and bowed low at the waist.

"Supreme leader Kylo Ren," His voice was unusually high pitched given his frame. He straightened, and nodded gently towards Rey. "What a privilege."

"It's no longer 'Supreme Leader,' Hurig," Ben replied, releasing Rey's arm to take her hand.

"My apologies, sir," Hurig told him, moving around the table to better access Ben. "I would know better than to insult a member of the illustrious Knights of Ren."

Ben shifted his weight towards Rey, "I hear you deal in Kyber crystals."

Rey looked at him. Of course! The crystal that powered her lightsaber, that could be cut down and distributed to power massive weapons. Even Star Killer Base required thousands of pounds of crystals.

Hurig nodded, his throat emitting a type of purr. "Why, yes. I've been known to dabble in that market. But I would hesitate to remind our former Supreme Leader that dealing with Kyber crystals was made illegal by the First Order. Notices went up on every mining system that all Kyber mines were to be reported to be destroyed."

"You and I both know that several of those mines went undetected," Ben told him, calmly. "That makes anyone with those crystals both traitors, and very rich men."

Hurig lifted a hand and shoved it slowly into his pocket, withdrawing from it a pipe of pure silver and a matching box of what looked to be matches. "I have a feeling we are about to forsake pretense, sir." He said, opening the box and withdrawing a match. "Shall we play a game of cards to settle our nerves?" He struck the match with his thumb and ignited it.

"I'm only here for the night." Ben told him, his demeanor as calm as ever.

"Then I would insist upon a game of cards," He touched the match to his pipe and puffed for a moment, "And have this be our negotiation rather than simply purchase and release."

"You have them here?" Rey asked.

Hurig turned to her with a look that suggested he had forgotten she was there. Almost at once, his eyes gravitated downwards, absorbing the sight of her dress that could be best described as a gold leotard half covered with midnight blue silk stretched to wrap around her waist and breasts, leaving her arms and legs sumptuously displayed even beneath Ben's cloak. She shifted beneath his gaze, the gold headband around her forehead tightening for a moment.

Immediately, Hurig backpedaled. "Apologies, miss. Your beauty has stunned me."

"How about her question?" Ben asked, a hint of a growl present.

"Well, of course I have the crystals with me," Hurig answered, addressing Ben with a glance at Rey. "Always keep your finest where you can see them, that's my motto." He glanced at Rey again.

He turned his body towards his own service droid and squeaked a command in his native language, sending the droid wheeling out suddenly. He turned back to Ben, his features changed. The Force surged around them, advising caution.

"Shall we make this a true gamble, sir?" Hurig asked, moving towards the table. "My crystals for…" He didn't hesitate showing his lust with this gaze, "One night with your lovely companion here?"

The atmosphere immediately dropped twenty degrees and the red opal chandelier began clinking with timid music above them. Ben's grip tightened on Rey's hand and he lifted his chin.

"No deal."

Rey watched him, her heart fluttering at the sight of his eyes narrowing, feeling his hunger for his lightsaber to slice this man in half for even thinking of touching her. She brushed his hand with her thumb, smiling. Not even if he could use the Force to cheat would he think of bargaining her.

The door opened, and the service droid rolled in, bearing a metal chest on two outstretched metal arms. Hurig immediately took it, and placed it on the table. "A look at the merchandise, if you please."

He turned a dial to unlock the chest, sending the interior locks clicking, then tilted back the lid and turned it to face Ben and Rey.

At once, Rey felt a pull towards the chest. Almost dumped onto the silk lining, dozens of clear Kyber crystals were packed, some thick, some thin, but all were roughly a foot long and perfect for use within a lightsaber. The more she looked, the more she could feel one crystal in particular calling to her like a string from her chest to the one before her. A call from a crystal buried under the shorter crystals positioned at the top, possibly to keep the best of the bunch hidden underneath.

"I'll pay you," Ben declared, pulling Rey from her stupor.

She turned to him, immediately feeling him redirect his feelings toward the task at hand. He wanted those crystals, needed them almost as badly as she did. Perhaps he had felt a crystal calling out to him, too.

Hurig smiled, and turned his face to his cache, the thoughts crossing through his mind loudly calling out to them. How to press the gamble without getting himself killed in the process?

"I'll play," Rey announced, her voice cool and calm in the room.

At once, Ben turned to her his shoulder almost hiding her from Hurig. "Rey," He warned, "You've never played before."

She turned to him, and smiled, sending the Force to him, encouraging him to trust her. "How hard can it be when grown men can trade women for it?"

"Best two out of three for the rookie," Hurig called.

Rey twitched her eyebrow at him, "Trust me."

SWSWSW

On the balcony of their suite, Ben loosed Rey's hair and kissed the sides and back of her neck as she gazed at the Kyber crystal that had called to her in her hands, the moon that lit the balcony catching the sequins on her dress. She didn't know what she had been expecting, the crystal was almost clear and a foot long. But, the more she held it to her chest, coupled with Ben's affection that she hadn't lost a game in three, the more she felt right. Content. His tongue tickled her and she burst into a fit of laughs so hard that she had to step away and looked at him, the crystal pressed to her stomach.

They stood in silence, gazing at one another, the sounds of a distant symphony catching in the wind and blowing over them. He stepped forward, his hands touching hers. The feel of his bare hands against hers was intoxicating for perhaps the stupidest reason Rey could figure. He felt naked, wholly hers to caress. Her bare leg touched his trouser thigh as she turned to put her crystal down on a side table, then straightened, letting him take her waist in his hands as she placed her hands on his chest. He leaned forward, nuzzling her nose with his.

A knock resounded throughout the suite, pulling their heads apart. At once, Ben stepped away from Rey and crossed the floor to the door. On the other side was a servant dressed in a yellow uniform, bearing a mahogany box in his hands.

"Your order, sir," The servant beamed, holding out the box.

"Thank you," Ben told him, taking the box and quickly grabbing a gold coin from his pocket to give to him.

"What's that?" Rey asked as soon as the door closed.

Ben brought it to her, a sly look on his face. "A present," He grinned, pulling the ribbon from the box's top. Inside, were two smaller, leather boxes. He took one out and closed the main box, tucking it under his arm to open it. It was a dark grey men's ring, the center cut out in the shape of a star so that it would glow upon his pale finger.

"Oops, that's mine," He apologized.

"It's lovely," Rey told him as he took it back and opened the main box.

This time, his grin softened to a look of pure love and happiness, almost indescribable as he took the second box and tossed his ring and the main box onto the table next to the Kyber crystal with a soft _clong_. With gentle fingers, he tilted the lid back on the box and held it out to her.

At once, tears hit Rey's cheeks and she cupped her mouth. It was a diamond ring of a star shaped exactly like his. The star's center was grey, while the rays were long white diamonds held together by a gold band. It was by far the most beautiful thing Rey had ever seen! She peered up at Ben, his look one of protection, love, and pure devotion.

He stepped back, and knelt before her, causing her to hiccup laughter.

"Will you be my wife, Rey Kenobi?"

She stroked his arm that held out the ring, smiling so much it hurt. "Yes, Ben Solo, I will."

SWSWSW

 _Rising Dawn_

Kaydel Connix held her breath as Poe and a small squadron neared the most recent completed ship from Kylo's blueprint haul. This ship, a Class D Speed Destroyer was one that they could desperately use to weave between tightly packed formations and drop large numbers of bombs, taking hits like they were nothing.

"All ships switch to radio silence," Poe's voice rang out in the bridge. "Let's not give them a reason to get jumpy."

Kaydel swallowed, hearing the squadron sound off going into radio silence, recounting the times Kylo's information came through. Six hidden refueling stations on systems they hadn't known about, two bunkers filled to the brim with supplies that had been stored for exit strategies, and the invaluable _Ikher_ preloaded with the locations of thirteen armories, on top of a food supply that could feed their entire fleet for a solid year. All had been simultaneous hits done in the succession of Supreme Leader Hux, and all had paid off wonderfully.

So why was she so nervous now?

Poe had led the charge in every single one of those raids, called forth the council to get their acts together and give the much needed supplies to systems that had been harshly punished by the First Order. Poe was fine. He would be perfectly fine… right?

She shifted in her shoes, her eyes glued to the blue holoscreen projecting the ships as they neared their target, scanning quickly for Poe's ship. There he was, the middle of three X-Wings, his nose sticking out further. She twisted her gold wedding band, mindless of the wrinkles it made on her hand as it pulled her skin. She couldn't care less if half the galaxy was on fire so long as Poe came back home unscathed.

Suddenly, two TIE fighter jets appeared on the holoscreen, then five more, followed by a Destroyer.

Kaydel screamed the same time she reached for her commlink to Poe's ear. "Poe! It's a trap! Get out of there! They're waiting for you!"

The triplet ships careened out of the way a second after the fighting began, Poe making a wide berth and firing three rapid shots in succession, one of the seven jets exploding.

"Get out of there!" Kaydel shouted into the commlink.

Poe, just like the scheming daredevil he was, ignored her, and broke off from the pack, heading straight for the unfinished Destroyer.

"Poe!" Kaydel screamed, eyes wide and teeth clenched, "Dammit, leave it!"

He skidded his jet into the narrowly closing landing pad, the last man inside what looked like a heavily fortified destroyer.

"He's locked in," Someone told her.

Kaydel couldn't help but smile tightly, "Or they're locked in with him."

The jets continued to zoom around the screen, two X-Wings exploding from well placed shots. Through it all, none of them broke radio silence, unnerving Kaydel even more. They appeared like jellyfish on a screen saver, untouchable and hardly even real.

Suddenly, the destroyer lurched, rattling the construction bridges still attached to it. The TIEs that had been seemingly so careful to not shoot at or so much as touch the destroyer, appeared to flinch at the sudden lurch. Then, all cannons, torpedoes, and whatever else they had turned on the sleek white surface. Their blasts bounced perfectly against fully operational shields that protected the destroyer almost fifty feet from the surface.

"This message is for the _Rising Dawn,_ this is the Class D Speed Destroyer _Sovereign_."

Poe's voice rang out like a welcoming bell. Kaydel whirled around and attacked the commlink button. "POE!" She cried.

"Kaydel! Baby, we have a problem, none of the weapons are hooked up. I'm shooting blanks and none of the jets know it."

"Get out of there, I'll recall the jets," Kaydel sighed, waving an arm to the command bridge. Immediately they turned to their computer screens and began murmuring to the remaining jets to retreat.

"They're coming home, Poe." Kaydel told him, watching the X-Wing jets begin to cut away as the beautiful _Sovereign_ ripped away from all tethers, bombs rippling off it's shielded surface. "You did it," She smiled.

"Yeah, I did it, alright." He grumbled, "I've got at least two squadrons of Stormtroopers banging on the door, and the entire First Order on notice. We've got a list of their ships and now they know it."

"How close are they from getting to you?" Kaydel asked, grabbing her holopad and touching the surface to and fro to pull up the specifics on the _Sovereign._

"I'm safe, but I don't want to chance it." Poe told her, his voice wavering ever so slightly.

"You can't bring them here," She breathed, looking up from the specifications on the doors shielding him.

"I'm welcome to any ideas." His voice was getting shakier, meaning he was either finding a blaster or looking for a place to hide.

At once, Kaydel's mind clouded with memories. Their first meeting, her enlistment into the Resistance, their first date and kiss, their wedding night postponed for this mission. She shook her head and put her holopad down, the lieutenant across from her looking up.

"Give me a minute," She told Poe.

She turned her heel and hurried out of the command bridge, the eyes of the Resistance upon her. As she moved, a shrill hoot reached her and she turned, seeing BB-8 follow her closely, his head upturned in determination. Kaydel let him follow, leading him to a corridor where she could sit and place her hands on her knees.

BB-8 rolled close to her, gently nudging her knees. What are you going to do? He beeped.

Kaydel sighed, pressing the heels of her palms to her eyes for a moment. "Beebee Ate, if I do this, you cannot hoot or give any sharp sounds," She dropped her hands, "Okay?"

His body twitched, but ultimately moved forward in two successions, Yes.

She sat up straight, and exhaled, calming her nerves as best she could, then closed her eyes. Anxiety, met with peace. Her love met with hate for her husband's duty. The calm of this portion of space, met with the knowledge that there were battles being fought elsewhere. Balance.

"Ben," Kaydel whispered. "Brother, I need you."

SW

Canto Bight

Ben's eyes flew open, the wisps of Rey's hair clouding his eyes and nose. He lifted his head, hearing her voice again.

 _Ben_.

Slowly, he withdrew his arm from over Rey's side and sat up, looking around the suite. He reached out to the Force, bridging this inexperienced connection with ease. He almost smiled when he saw her sitting there.

"Kay Dee?" He breathed.

The connection wavered, like jumping into a puddle. He couldn't use that name anymore. He had lost his privilege to that name a long time ago. Nevertheless, her connection returned.

"I need your help," She told him.

He could feel her disgust for such words. She still hated him, would always hate him. But what was happening now to make her seek him? Why was she using the Force now?

He sent these feelings to her, and waited, watching Rey sleep on her side as Kaydel twitched her head, trying to discern his question.

"It's Poe," She whispered.

A couch would have been softer than those feelings she whirled at his head. He rolled his eyes, so inexperienced. Deep seeded worry, so he was in danger. Love, an overwhelming love like what he felt for Rey. Was she married, then? Whatever, her lover Poe was in danger enough for her to call her estranged brother. Why would he be in danger? The question rang stupidly in his head like a gong. Poe Dameron was a danger magnet in that if it didn't come to him, he went headlong at it. But why so this time?

He let this question waft to her, doing his upmost to keep his thoughts of her lover's idiocy to himself.

She sent back a schematic of a ship, a beautiful, new ship that looked -unsurprisingly- like one of the ones he had given the Resistance.

Ben sighed. They lost all faith in him and his Padawans, so they decided not to include them in this new raid. If they had included him, he would have said to skip this ship and go for the next completed one for this very reason. He pulled the blanket up over Rey's arm just as a cool sea breeze fluttered the sheer curtains and blew over them. Ben stood and grabbed his cloak, throwing it on.

"Where is he?"

SWSWSW

Poe crawled through one of the ducts, praying to every deity he could recall that the new bolts were built to take grown men. He slithered to a halt, listening hard. There were two Stormtroopers talking a short distance from him. They weren't buying his disappearing act, and couldn't fix his quick blaster-to-the-communications-board until they landed and received new parts. Now where they landed, Poe could only hope they didn't unwire his moderately hard wired coordinates. C'mon Kay-Ko, he thought, using his toes to push him through the duct. Don't fail me, baby.

He slithered down another shaft, noting just how impressive this ship actually was. Two miles long, built for speed and for taking hits, it could have passed as a grim reaper or a royal yacht. Knowing Snoke and the First Order, there was a strong possibility of both happening. He smiled as he tilted open a vent cover. He would love to take Kaydel in one of these rooms for their wedding night. She could forgive him if he took her someplace nice. Or just, you know, be alive to have that wedding night. He loosened the screws on the grate with a pair of pliers from his flightsuit and pulled the grate into the duct with him.

Pulling himself from the duct, he dusted his hands on his trousers and stood. This was one of the luxury rooms, divided by walls with great, inconsistent holes to look like a porous sponge. There were even some solid white furniture, built especially for this ship. Poe looked down, and cursed. Of course he had to find the only patch of soot and track it through the all white room! He exhaled and started for the door, blaster at the ready.

He could hear movement outside, but all seemed to be avoiding this room. Poe sniggered to himself, Perhaps they're worried about not seeing each other in here. A shout rang out, followed by blasts. Poe leaned back away from the door, his mind racing with concentration. The shouts were inconsistent, and all were muffled and mechanical. The Stormtroopers were shouting.

Why would a Stormtrooper shout?

Poe looked to the control panel opening the door, narrowly missing a blast that cut through the wall near his head. He crouched to his knees and moved away from the door, blood rushing in his ears, and flipped over one of the special tables, (noting that it had been held on by a heavy magnet). Jumping behind it, he waited, forcing his breathing to come slower, his finger ready on the trigger.

The shouting outside the door stopped and the door slid open, revealing a very calm, wide eyed Rey, a smoking blaster in her hands.

"Hello, Poe!" She grinned.

He exhaled the moment he saw her. She wore old school grey robes with her customary arm wraps; her hair was pulled back behind her, and her lightsaber dangled from her side. But it was Rey!

"Are you a sight for sore eyes or what?!" He cried, lifting his head and smiling.

She giggled, then whirled around giving him her back, and grabbed her lightsaber and igniting it. In a dazzling, dizzying array of deflections, she met and blocked every single blaster shot fired at her. At once Poe jumped from his position and joined Rey's side, firing over her shoulder and killing three Stormtroopers.

"Ow!" Rey complained, turning off her lightsaber and looking at her hand. Her entire hand was red, the scar where she had previously been healed cut once again and complimented by the pungent waft of burned skin.

"You really need a new one," Poe told her.

She looked at him, "Stormtroopers first."

They moved cautiously out of the room, both picking up new blasters. "Kylo's with you I assume?"

"Of course!" Rey told him, barely glancing at him over her shoulder.

Blasts resounded in a further corridor, forcing Poe to swallow his accusatory question of, "So how did you get here?"

The moved quickly, Poe guiding Rey through the unfamiliar halls with what he could remember. A bright red blast split them, causing them to fly to the opposite walls where they could be shielded by ducking into the cutouts for communication and droid recharging.

Poe dared a peek around the corner, seeing a mass of black cloth whirl a searing red beam of light against other beams of light. He looked to Rey as she checked her blaster.

"Found your boyfriend!" He shouted over the din.

She turned to him and smiled. "Fiancé!" She told him, lifting her hand and showing him a diamond ring.

The warmth drained from Poe's body as his smile fixed on his face. He wanted to say something, anything, but words came to slowly as Rey shouted a sort of, "Hang on!" before jumping to her feet and bolting down the hall to her new… well, _fiancé_ , swung madly.

"Lightsaber!" Poe heard him yell.

Rey immediately grabbed her lightsaber and handed it to him. Rather than igniting it or doing anything that would have been considered _cool_ , Kylo chucked it down the corridor, and extended his hand towards it.

 _BANG!_

Poe shot back into his cover and covered his face with his arm, earning for it a flash of heat upon his side that receded quickly.

"You blew up my lightsaber!" Rey's voice shrieked.

"Trust me, no I didn't," Kylo's deep voice answered, "I merely guided it. Your lightsaber was ready to blow."

Poe lowered his arm and peered around the corner. Kylo was on top of Rey, his whole body covering her from the flame as she scowled up at him from over her shoulder.

"That was Luke's lightsaber," She insisted.

He smirked down at her, a look that was clearly only meant for her, "Let the past die. I'll show you how to make a new one."

Poe looked down the corridor, hearing the distinct sound of more incoming Stormtroopers.

"Uh, guys, I hate to ruin the moment…"

At once, they were on their feet, ready and willing, to do battle once more, side-by-side, inseparable until death.

 _Please Review!_


	23. Chapter 23

_Alright guys, those of you who know me will know that I stop posting the last two (possibly three in this case) chapters that finish the story. That being said, this will be the last chapter for a bit. Enjoy, I had the final scene for this written for a rather long time._

Chapter 23

Ahch – To

Finn sat, legs crossed and eyes closed, focusing on the rock that levitated before his nose. It had only been three days since they realized that Rey and Master Ren had left the island, but Finn had felt he had developed so much in the ways of the Jedi since their absence. He couldn't explain just what exactly made him think that, but it was perhaps one of the strongest feelings he had ever felt. He wasn't focused on whether Master Ren was going to toss him into the ocean, or if Rey was with him and what they could possibly be doing. He was, for once in his life, at peace.

Rose's presence wafted over him, her feelings emanating warmth and something more… something he could feel pulsing greatly in the time alone. Or dancing. Or simply holding her hand to help her up over a tricky rock. It was deeply soothing, a welcome change to Master Ren's silent nightmare. She hovered near him, her feelings unwavering.

"Good morning," Finn cooed, feeling her "extra" suddenly fluttering.

"Morning," Rose giggled. "How are you?"

Finn gently opened his eyes, seeing his rock warble in front of him, and smiled. "I am floating a rock in front of my face. Something I thought was only for fairytales." He turned to her and gently sent the rock to her to catch. "I am fantastic."

Rose lowered the rock, her face illuminated in a bright smile. She hesitated, a thought clamoring across her face, then scampered next to him, leaning close and saying, "I bet you can't skip it to the next island."

He leaned back and scoffed, "Really? With my luck, I'll hit Swissy the Suicidal Porg."

She lifted an eyebrow and smiled. "Chicken," She declared, levitating the rock herself. It made a full rotation, slow and precise, before rocketing over the broiling sea, skipping over the surface before sinking twenty feet before the intended pile of rocks that could be considered an island.

"Weak," Finn grinned, summoning a rock from behind him and launching it as hard as he could, skipping his rock over the sea until it sunk possibly a foot further than Rose's.

"Oh!" Rose cried. "Nope! No way!" Another rock floated before her.

For an hour, countless rocks vaulted over the island of Ahch-To to the neighboring island, much to the amusement and laughter of Rose and Finn. In all that time, not a single rock hit the surface of the island's beach and as to who "won," that determining factor mattered significantly less to a single sentence uttered from Finn's lips:

"I'll bet Rey and Ren could stack rocks on top of each other on that peak right there."

This time, the thing that warbled was Rose's feeling of love that she had been exuding, like a top slowing to a halt. She inhaled, then turned to Finn. "What if they don't come back?" She asked, her tone low, hopeless almost. "Or if they come back married?"

Finn turned to her, his feelings screaming in agony around him. "She has to come back. She was the first friend I made when I left the First Order. She's my first and greatest friend. Hell, she's more than that. She's my family."

Rose looked at him, her smile fading as her love echoed his silent, agonized wail. "E-even when she sees you as a brother?"

He looked back to the sea, commanding his eyes to keep it together. He nodded, unable to say anything.

"She doesn't deserve you, Finn."

He swallowed the lump in his throat. "He doesn't deserve her."

"He knows more about what she's going through than you do. Think about it, you had two years on him. He shows up for ten minutes and he knows more about her in one look than you did in two years."

Finn shot a look at her, wanting to shoot her down. He knew what Rey was going through. He could tell, too. But, the Force called to him, encouraging him to ask who would benefit from rage. Certainly not him. And she had been right, before. Perhaps this was her gift from the Force.

He inhaled deeply and let it out through his nose. In his mind, he pictured Rey, standing in the meadow of Naboo, her hair fluttering around her shoulders as she played with the petals of a daisy. He had always run towards Rey, always reached out to her in some way. He swallowed hard, and mentally took a step back.

Something touched his hand, yanking him back to Ahch-To. Rose's hand had touched him, but their hands were in her lap. No, this wasn't right. _He_ reached for _her_ hand, and her thumb was caressing his. He looked up to see a look upon her features, a soft, warm look that dotted the corners of her eyes with tears as she looked down at their clasped hands.

That was when it struck him. That "extra" emotion she had been exuding was a memory of tenderness; A kiss, shared on the salt planet of Crait after she had saved his life. She had been waiting patiently for another touch as sincere as that one had been two years ago.

Finn inhaled, and lowered himself to rest his head on her lap, erasing all emotions from her body, save for shock. He didn't care as Rey's image returned to his thoughts, her willowy frame taking a step away from him so that he could see Master Ren's tall, ink stained figure behind her, his eyes glimmering as he waited for her. He stood with that confident air, knowing that he didn't need to worry about his lady wandering away from him. He was a planet and she was his moon, her path always circling around him.

"If I let her go," Finn whispered, not entirely certain that she could hear him, "I don't know what will happen to her. If he'll hurt her, or if he'll be so good to her that she'll forget about me."

"No one can forget about you, Finn," She told him, her hand resting on his ear and neck. "I know I won't."

SWSWSW

On the fourth day, the _Raven Starr_ appeared over Ahch-To, greeting Finn and Rose moments before C-3PO shuffled to them. "Captain Finn!" He called, waving his metal arms. "Captain Finn! I've received word from Commander Dameron, he is coming with Master Ren and Captain Rey."

So, they did come back, Finn thought, adjusting his basket of rocks. His muscles had gotten significantly bigger since first arriving. He could hang for hours over the cliffs of the island without aching much. He could carry heavy baskets of rocks up the paths where the Caretakers needed him without heaving breaths like he first did. In fact, by the way he had taken over some of the shaping and arranging, he could easily become a mason's apprentice on a quarry system, earning a wage away from the Resistance. He set his basket down, and turned to the Caretaker who guided him.

"I'm to go," He said in their language.

The Caretaker nodded, waving him away with a grey hand.

Finn hesitated, looking at him as he bent over his work. This Caretaker was elderly, he could see that from the wiry white hairs that crept out from under his cap. He staggered under the weight of the boulder Finn had cut, his breathing coming heavier than what Finn was used to hearing. Finn looked over his shoulder, seeing the tips of the black TIE Fighter in the traditional landing spot.

He turned back to the Caretaker, and caught the boulder he carried. "Threepio," Finn called over his shoulder, "Tell Captain Rey I welcome her back. And tell Poe I'll be there with him when I'm done."

"Commander Dameron has said that you and Sergeant Major Tico were to return with him to the _Rising Dawn_ for a mission."

Finn watched the Caretaker stand and rub the lower half of his back. He looked up at Finn, his eyes glittering with gratitude. He couldn't be doing this for much longer, Finn thought. "I'll be there when I'm done here."

SW

Finn trudged up the stone steps, the Force swirling all around him. The Caretakers knew something was happening courtesy of C-3PO. They had brought him a flagon of water and fresh change of robes, urging him to hurry for whatever reason. Decently sponged and changed, Finn saw a Caretaker leaving his hut, and knew his bag was packed and ready to depart at a moment's notice. He gave an awkward grin to her, and stepped around her, determined to take at least five minutes solving this new… atmosphere. Something big was happening. Perhaps Rey and Master Ren had felt something in the Force? Perhaps, if he sat at the edge of his bed, he could sense it, too?

That had been his intention until he saw Rey emerge from her hut, dressed in an elaborate black gown with her trademark white scarf draped over her hair. He halted, feeling his jaw slacken at the sight of her. Damn, she was _gorgeous!_ She had pulled her hair into a single bun, a braid wrapped around it, and she wore no cosmetics save for what looked like mashed red berries smeared over her lips so that they stood out against her pale cheeks, drawing him to her. She looked at him, her feelings calm as though she had been waiting for him.

Then at once he realized what was happening: she was getting married.

He stepped forward, absorbing her appearance. She was shivering in the sly cold wind (the chains on her back must have chilled with the breeze faster), but said wind caught the silver sleeves and veil, fluttering them over her knees so that she looked like a mystical moon fairy come for her annual celebration. She lifted her left hand over her stomach, more to show than to tell him with the diamond ring shaped like a star on her fourth finger, confirming his suspicion. Finn nodded at the finely constructed ring. It was them, he had to admit; light and dark coming together.

"He's lucky," Finn told her. "I hope you know that."

She smiled and nodded, "Yeah, I do." Her smile faded. "I-I can't live without him, Finn. I can't explain it…" She swallowed, and stood taller. "This is a lesson for the two of us, I truly believe that. We're drawn together and… I love him. I can safely say that I love him, and I would rather be with him than apart from him."

Finn smiled, feeling a sense of bitter happiness flow over him. She could have married him wherever she had gotten that dress. They could have gone anywhere in the galaxy, Naboo, Canto Bight, and had a magical wedding night. But, it was clear as the diamonds on her hand that she wanted to come back. Why though?

"Well then," He nodded, feeling as though his heart was tearing in half with every inhale he made. "You shouldn't keep him waiting."

"Finn," She breathed, her shivers changing from cold tremors to those of fear. Slowly, she extended her arm, palm facing upwards. "I need you to take my hand."

His heart, his soul, and whatever else used to love the woman before him split apart in that moment. He didn't want to do it. He wanted to run over the cliff and fall upon the sharp rocks, Force and Jedi be damned. He inhaled, the broken parts weighing him down. There was only one anchor he had left, one reason to keep his feet from bolting off: the knowledge that she wouldn't go to Ren alone. She could do it. Hell, Rey could do anything! But for the first time, she showed that she was afraid to do it, to go into the void and shine alone.

He saw his fingers curl around her cold hand and felt her relief as he pulled her close, pressing his forehead to hers. Her skin was silk, she must have had a lathering bath sometime soon, she even smelled like it. She smiled into his eyes, the honey color as searing as a lightsaber, her feelings of fear giving way to nervous anticipation. Finn reached up with his free hand, her lips inches from his, and cupped her cheek. He mashed his lips and extended his thumb to her bottom lip, wiping away the red berries.

"Let him see you as you are," He whispered. "You were beautiful yesterday, the dress is just extra."

A tear slid down Rey's cheek, seeping into his fingers. Finn wiped her upper lip, using the heel of his palm to wipe away any traces of rouge that he might have gotten on her cheeks.

"Thank you," She barely whispered.

He kissed her forehead, the only kiss they would ever share, then turned and tucked her arm under his. "Alright," He forced a smile, "Let's get you hitched."

They walked together, silence ebbing from ceremony. From their huts, the Caretakers emerged and stood on either side of the walkway, watching the bride's ascent. Rey shivered in the cool wind, making Finn wonder why she hadn't grabbed a poncho rather than such a thin scarf in such weather. Then he realized that a poncho would detract from her dress, and she had wanted to look beautiful, complete with a veil. They climbed to the ruins of the Jedi temple, hearing soft voices murmur within. Once Rey had cleared the landing, Finn looked up, and felt the last of his heart shatter.

Master Ren stood beside Poe and Rose, wearing ceremonial white robes and his black cloak. Master Ren must have dunked his head into a quick washbasin because his hair was slicked back and controlled, combed even. For once, he did not wear his lightsaber, and for once, Finn could feel the emotions of anxiety scream from him. He shifted in his position, arms crossed in front of him, nodding to Rose as she whispered words of encouragement to him. Rose herself had dressed in what looked very much like one of the old garments from the Vanished Jedi, a light blue half skirt that split open to reveal white trousers and a light blue and white ceremonial top robe.

Poe looked up from beside Master Ren, and his jaw dropped. "Rey?" He gasped.

Master Ren looked to Poe, but Rose turned to the entrance of the ruins, her face breaking into a smile. She touched Master Ren's arm, prompting him to turn to her, then at the new arrivals.

The look on Master Ren's face when he turned to his bride halted Rey where she stood. His feelings obliterated save for one: awe. His eyes swept her frame, his feelings changing from awe to love, a deeper love that Finn had never felt before on anyone let alone himself. He dropped his arms and stepped forward, each step purposeful and slow.

The wind whipped around them, as Finn held Rey's arm. He didn't want to let her go, to leave him. To start a new era in her life without him, instead of him.

Ceremoniously, Master Ren stopped before Rey, his breathing sputtering. He could have passed for a fool to Finn if he didn't know better. Slowly, Master Ren dipped his chin and lowered his body to kneel on one knee in absolute reverence. He lifted his hand and took hold of the hem of Rey's black gown and lifted it to his lips, kissing it, before meeting her eyes.

Finn could have sworn lightning struck him in that moment. It struck him from his crown to his knees what this small gesture signified; a small footnote from a tale he heard General Leia Organa tell a group of refugee children of when an Alderaan prince welcomed his bride. Master Ren wasn't putting on some sort of flattery show -well, he was, but that wasn't the point- he was welcoming his bride in his mother's customs. Master Ren rose to his feet, and slid off his black cloak, revealing himself in almost completely white garments, and motioned to Rey and Finn that he was going to cover her.

Finn clutched Rey's arm, his last chance to hold onto his best friend, but let go once she pulled away from him, her core gravitating towards her groom. Finn stepped back, feeling the tears churn inside of him. He had done his duty, he had been there for her. Now, it was her husband's turn.

In one swift motion, so fluid and perfect, Master Ren flung his cloak around Rey's shoulders, fixed her veil to frame her lovely face, swooped down, and kissed her. Rey latched onto him, holding him against her body as though the very motion of covering and protection, was the marital ceremony itself. Finn shifted away from them, moving to stand beside Rose, doing his best to keep his chin from wobbling.

Her hand reached out and took his. "It's alright," She whispered to him, "I get it."

Finn nodded, afraid to do anything more.

Master Ren stopped kissing Rey, and resolved to smiling, laughing with her out of sheer joy. The sound was an eerie relief on Finn's ears. Come to think of it, he had never heard Master Ren laugh for anything, positive or negative.

"Are you ready?" Rey asked, her smile blinding.

Master Ren nodded, biting his lip. "Yes,"

He slipped his hand into hers, lifted it, and tucked her arm into his. Then, as one so uniform and perfect, they faced the trio and moved forward as an indivisible pair. Black and white, both sides of the Force uniting.

Poe grinned, taking one step forward and asked, "Who comes to be married?"

Master Ren looked to Rey before speaking, "The lady and I."

"And your names?" A silence whipped around them as Master Ren lifted his eyebrow in sarcastic askance. "Look, the two of you have each had name changes, I need to know what to put in the Captain's Log."

Finn looked to Rose, lifting his eyebrows in confusion.

"Yeah, that happened," Rose hissed, lifting her shoulders.

"Rey Kenobi," Rey told them, smiling at Finn.

But hesitation came from Master Ren. He inhaled, and lifted his chin. "Ben Solo."

SW

"Alright then." Poe cleared his throat, rubbed his hands for a moment, and began:

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here in… uh, who-knows-where, to unite this man and this woman in marriage. If there is anyone who has a good reason why these two should not be together," Finn felt a tremor run through his body, "Keep it to yourself or reap the consequences of the Force for separating them."

Those present snorted, Ben and Rey making eye contact in nervous acknowledgement before turning back to Poe. "Rings?" He asked, looking to Ben.

Rey quickly wiggled the ring off her finger and handed it to Ben. Poe regarded him, "Repeat after me,"

Ben inhaled, butterflies erupting in his stomach, "I Ben, take you Rey, to be my wife. To have and to hold from this day forward, for better and for worse, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health. With this ring," He grinned as the diamonds and gold glided over her finger, "We are wed."

Rey's feelings erupted in a mash of excitement, fear, love, and above all, joy. He was never going to leave her. He promised, here and now. She shuddered with happiness, her grin the widest he had ever seen it.

Poe leaned forward, "Do you have a ring for Ben or…?"

Ben handed her his ring, giving her a quick wink.

"Alright, repeat after me,"

Rey inhaled, her eyes locking onto his, twin hearth fires blazing warmth into him where there was once years of frigid cold.

"I Rey, take you Ben, to be my husband. To have and to hold from this day forward. For better and for worse, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health. With this ring," She broke eye contact to slip the ring onto his hand, then batted her lashes at him to finish, "We are wed."

"Awesome," Poe replied, "Do you guys have vows?"

"I do," Ben answered, turning back to Rey.

"I can't wait for this," Poe muttered to Finn. In his normal voice, he told him, "Alright, state your vows."

Ben ignored him. "Rey," He began, "There was a time when I thought I would never have you by my side. From the first moment I saw you, you intrigued me." He smirked, the one he saved only for her. "The first time I asked you to join me, I offered you knowledge. The second time, I offered you the galaxy. You turned me down both times until I offered you myself, complete and unconditional." A tear slid down Rey's cheek, but her smile and her attention were unwavering. "So, I vow to you now, to learn beside you as we make our way through the galaxy, one body, one heart. I vow to you the protection of my sword, and the openness of my heart." His voice broke, his emotions screaming to those who watched, "My darling."

Poe shifted forward, "Rey, do you have vows?"

She nodded, taking a moment to swallow her tears before speaking. "Ben, the first time I saw you, I wanted to kill you." The witnesses stifled a grim laugh, Ben grinned. "In fact, I think I spent more time disliking you rather than loving you. But, now, I cannot fathom a life without you. I spent years trying to find my family in others, trying to make them love me in return. From this moment, you are my family." She inhaled, the words echoing on her ears. "I vow to you, that I will stand by your side. I vow to make you feel wanted each day for who you are. And I…" She trailed off, emotion choking her.

Ben smiled, "I know."

She grinned, a chuckle rumbling over her body as she nodded, finished speaking.

Poe shifted his weight, still smiling. "By the power vested in me by, well, you guys, and the New Republic, I now pronounce you man and wife, Master and Mistress of the New Jedi Order. Ben Solo, you may kiss your bride."

SWSWSW

Rose chattered almost aimlessly with Finn and Poe as they entered the _Raven Starr_. Finn barely followed along with her, feeling like he had come from a battle rather than going into one. He followed them to the cockpit, thumping down on a seat and removing his blaster as he did so.

The last sight Finn saw on Ahch-To was Master Ren sweeping his bride into his arms, poised to carry her to their new home.

 _Please Review!_


	24. Chapter 24

_Alright, I'll throw you guys a bone. October's been kind of busy. So, if all goes well, you'll receive the final chapters by the first week of November. Or, not. I'm just playing it by ear. Reviews, as always, are appreciated._

Chapter 24

 _Finalizer_

General Hux marched through the halls of the ship, Colonel Cutter on his flank.

"How did Ren get to that ship?" Hux demanded, hardly turning his head for the man to hear him.

"Holostreams do not show it was Ren, sir." Colonel Cutter told him, "We saw Commander Dameron pilot the ship _Sovereign_ away from the ship yard, followed by a squadron of Rebel ships, though none of them contained Ren's flight patterns or that of the Rebel Ace other than Dameron. I believe that they did not include them in this mission."

"But they attacked and stole our ship according to the list Ren had made," Hux snarled. "He is working for the Rebels, and has complete knowledge of what ships we have currently in our arsenal and those yet to come."

"We can safely assume that, sir." Colonel Cutter responded.

"What is to be done about it?"

"With your permission, Supreme Leader, we would like to move your command from the _Finalizer_ to the _Sidious_. It is a Class A Megaship Dreadnought, one that former Supreme Leader Snoke had commissioned as his personal transport, apart from the _Supremacy_ that was his Capitol."

"Is it nearly as big as the _Supremacy,_ Colonel?" Hux asked, looking over his shoulder.

"Three quarters the size, without the raw manufacturing plants, about the same number of cannons and munitions."

"Defensible, though?"

Colonel Cutter was silent for a moment, his boots the only noise in the echoing hallway. "It will take an inside man to take you down, sir. Ren can hammer away with the Rebels, but unless he's inside the sphere, he cannot hurt you."

Hux halted, turning full around. "And if Ren should somehow get in?"

"Then, he will be at will to kill us all, sir."

SWSWSW

 _Iker Dawn_

It felt so good to see BB-8 roll through the corridors of a Resistance ship, Finn could almost taste it! It was odd, too. To be moving on unsteady ground that hummed with engines and thrumming feet, to be bussed by so many people all at once! He had missed it, he had to admit. All the silence of Ahch-To had gotten to him, toyed with his mind. Or was that the peace of the Force?

He latched onto it, seeking the smooth peace of that island around him. But, it didn't come to him. That peace was left on that island, and what greeted him was the discontented suspicion of those who looked at him. He still wore his robes, and walked as tall as when he first left, but there had been a difference since setting foot on this ship. He turned to Rose, wondering if she sensed it, too. Her slanted eyes flicked around, resting for a moment on a group of technicians who clumped around a command panel in an attempt to further connect the _Iker_ to the _Rising Dawn._ She flicked her eyes forward and lifted her chin.

"You feel it, too?" Finn asked in a tone only she could hear.

"They don't trust us," She whispered back. "I've never known those guys to stay away from gossip." She jerked her head quickly back to the technicians.

Guilty by association, Finn thought. "Don't worry," He told her, "Just give them some time to get used to us again."

Rose made a non-committal noise, but otherwise stayed silent.

BB-8 halted suddenly, half of his body into the intersecting corridor ahead of them, then immediately rolled backwards, almost running into Poe if he hadn't stepped away.

"Beebee Ate, what's wrong?" Poe asked, looking down at him.

BB-8 turned his head towards the hallway and issued quick beeps while twitching his entire body towards the hallway. Poe looked up, half of his body turning towards Rose and Finn when the khaki tactical dress of Senator Por-Jho stepped into the hallway.

"Commander Dameron," She purred, her nostrils flaring at the sight of him. To Finn, her head looked like that of a sheep's stripped of it's skin but left with the muscle tissue and eyelids that narrowed into a condescending squint when looking at Poe. "You wouldn't happen to be avoiding the Council Meeting scheduled for today, would you? I believe the Jedi Knights Rose Tico and Finn were expected to be coming with you."

"We aren't Jedi," Rose told her, her posture leaning away from the intimidating Passva senator. "We are Padawans, apprentices. Master Ren was clear on that when we left Ahch-To."

Finn looked to Poe who cast him a look of apology. Senator Por-Jho on the other hand, flicked her squinted eyes between Rose and Finn before settling on Poe. "We changed the meeting time for this moment, Commander. In the East Gathering Room, located," She lifted a long-limbed arm and gestured it down the hall where they had appeared to be heading prior to her surprising them, "Just there."

"I know where it is, Senator," Poe grumbled at her. "I just think our distinguished guests should have a moment to rest before being eaten alive."

"So you could coach them what to say? No, I don't think that will be happening, Commander."

She stepped back, her frail looking body blocking the opposite hallway. "Jedi Apprentices, if you will meet with the Council of the New Republic, we would greatly appreciate it."

Finn's feelings were greatly troubled by her tone of voice and Poe's reluctance to adhere to his orders. He was a rebel in many ways, but since Crait, he had matured quite a bit. This however…

Rose touched Finn's hand with a brush of her own, prompting him to turn to her. At once, his feelings were smoothed, however like a hand sweeping spiked grass. She was calling to him, easing him. To have democracy, they must have Councils.

Finn returned to Senator Por-Jho, and stepped forward, "I'd be happy to speak to the Council. I know that with our testimonies, there'd be no way you could use our words for your own, private gains."

Senator Por-Jho reclaimed her arm, Poe smiled.

SW

"Ladies and gentlemen of the Council of the Resistance for the New Republic, thank you for gathering here today."

"Why am I here?" Poe hissed to the man on his right.

"As discussed prior to this meeting, we will be hearing from members of the New Jedi, Apprentices Finn and Rose. If you two would like to stand and recognize your achievements?"

Finn's mind immediately blanked. He looked at Rose who leaned back in equal bewilderment.

"She means tell us what secrets you learned from Kylo Ren," Poe said loudly, causing the man on his right to fly to him and shake his head while whispering discreetly.

At once, Finn's ire rose. This wasn't a question and answer session, this was a tribunal.

"Why should we?" Rose asked, lifting her eyebrow. "It was my knowledge that democratic meddling brought down the Jedi in the first place."

A pause rippled through the Council, (save that from Poe who chuckled as he leaned back, grinning)

"There are many rumors swirling around Kylo Ren and his… loyalties," A senator asked. "We simply want to put those rumors to rest."

"You knew them before we left," Finn told them. "He's a nomad, a rebel without a cause. His loyalty is to his wife, and the oath he swore when he became a Knight of Ren."

The council shifted simultaneously. "We were not aware that he was married," Another senator commented.

Poe's smile faded. He stood, and inhaled, "Before leaving the island of Ahch-To, I performed a marriage ceremony between… well, Ben Solo, and Captain Rey Kenobi. I didn't bring them along because I thought after, you know, saving my life they deserved a honeymoon period." He assumed his seat.

The council erupted into murmurs, one senator exclaiming, "Kenobi?"

"What are the implications of such a union?" Senator Por-Jho called, turning her attention from Finn and Rose to the Council members around her, immediately calming the crowd.

"Well, to me, it means that Ren is unquestionably going to stand with us," The first senator, a human male with salt and pepper hair and a medium build said. "It is Rey -Kenobi, I believe you said- that holds the power."

"You are generous, Senator Farea," Senator Por-Jho purred. "To me, it seems that Captain Rey has been tempted by an unreliable source. I prefer to know where our assets will stand. Either to the right or the left."

"Rey is for our cause," Finn told her. "She is committed to the destruction of the First Order."

"I see Senator Por-Jho's point," Senator Farea commented quickly, glancing to Rose who had piped up. "Captain Kenobi may be committed to fighting, but where does she stand on rebuilding? Fights can only last for so long before the fighters become winded. What is to replace the fight when it's done?"

Finn leaned back into his chair, glancing only slightly at Rose. They did have a point. Master Ren only agreed to teach them because he had no place to go, and he wanted to be with Rey. He had not renounced his loyalties to the Knights of Ren or even accepted a role as Jedi Master. Rey was the Jedi, Rey was the Rebel through and through. But, Rey was also destructive without meaning to be. She did well with the Resistance because there was a job to do. What would she, and most importantly, Ren, do when there were no more battles to fight?

"Why don't you ask her?"

All eyes shifted to Rose. Rose stood and moved to the center of the room, her demeanor one of absolute confidence. Finn smirked, she was used to scarier opponents and higher hills than a board room filled with prim senators and generals. "Rey fell in love with Master Ren because of what she knew he could become. Master Ren, the man capable of countless horrors. You know my story, and if you don't here it is: I was an orphan in the Haysian system. When the First Order was done pilfering what they could from us, they turned their cannons on our people. My sister and I watched as our home was destroyed in needless bloodshed."

"That may be," Senator Por-Jho began but Rose cut her off.

"I'm not finished!" She said firmly, staring her down. "I saw Master Ren when he was under Supreme Leader Snoke. I was there, as many of us were, when he started the fire at Naboo. I saw Rey charge after him with the intent to kill for what he did to us. When I started my training, I saw him as only one thing: the man who murdered my sister, my patron saint in the Resistance.

"I also saw him weak, an opposing image to the man I loathed with every fibre of my being. I heard him describe his youth, his truth shattering the pure image I had of General Leia Organa and Han Solo. I know why he is linked to the Knights of Ren, and I believe now, that he is not as unchangeable as you think."

She inhaled, watching the room sit in rapt attention. She continued:

"I think Master Ren will allow the New Republic to build in the ashes of the First Order. I don't think he will allow himself to become involved in politics, starting instead a new breed of Jedi, one with the moral code of… grey, rather than clear cut black or white. Because it was the strict adherence to what is white and what is black that caused the Jedi to fall, because it's refusal to accept change… just like what you guys are doing now in the name of safety." She lifted her palms for a moment before dropping them to her sides. "You want to monitor things you have no idea about. You don't know what Finn and I can do."

"That's right," Finn piped, sitting up straight.

"We were trained by the two strongest wielders of the Force, and most of you don't even know what the Force is!"

The Councilmembers shifted, looking to one another, but reluctantly keeping silent.

"Call them, ask them the questions you've asked us and each other here today. Because I promise you, I promise you, if you think you can't trust Master Ren because of what he's done in the past, you have no idea what Rey will do if you try to hurt him." She narrowed her look to Senator Por-Jho. "Rey has a legitimate family, now. A foundation to build upon. If Master Ren could hurt the First Order by giving us _valuable_ information, what could Rey do by herself? What would happen if Master Ren, joined, her?"

An uneasy silence ripped through the room and Rose took one step back. "Don't think that the name of democracy can protect you. We're all mortals here, and they've slain gods. Master Ren killed Supreme Leader Snoke for Rey, and Rey turned a terror into a husband that kneels before her out of respect. You want to piss them off?" She lifted her palms shoulder height and stepped back away from them, "Be my guest."

Silence echoed through the room as Rose retook her seat, Finn hearing a steady exhale coming from her the moment her back touched the rest.

"Well, I have to agree with Apprentice Tico," Senator Farea commented, shifting all eyes to him. "I remember hearing stories my father told of the Jedi and their involvement with the Galactic Senate. They were enforcers of the law, not part of it. They had their own code, and the senate was not to interfere in it."

"So you would let Kylo Ren stalk through these halls, unchecked?" Senator Por-Jho sneered, narrowing her eyes at him.

"No," Poe told her. "Weren't you listening? He wouldn't have a right," He paused, then added in a quieter tone, "And neither would Rey."

A new life rippled through the council, a shift in posture. Finn looked at Poe, and curled his fists. They want Rey gone, even Poe, Finn thought. A chill descended over each person present as Finn's fist began to shake. Poe gave him a quick glance, then shifted his body away from him.

"As Jedi, we would call upon them when we need them. They would train new apprentices, become a force within the Force. They would have access to whatever we decide they are privy to. And if we need a Jedi Senator, then I nominate Finn." He swept his arm towards him, though he carefully avoided his gaze. "Finn can successfully interpret the New Republic Senate, the Resistance Council, and the New Jedi Order. You cannot deny that we'll be needing input at this point." He turned to Finn, shivering slightly at Finn's continued scowl, "And Finn's a politician. We all know that from his success on the Command Bridge during battles when you fine jerks like to butt in."

There were many smirks, and one chuckle, but many more were nodding and regarding Finn with a new outlook. Senator Finn, Jedi Knight.

Finn stood, bringing Rose with him. He inhaled, feeling more like he was wearing a First Order uniform than Jedi robes. "We must speak with Master Ren and Rey before you decide anything further."

"Best to wait for a vote," Senator Por-Jho purred. "Given that there is even a motion to vote-"

"I make a motion." Senator Farea interrupted.

"Seconded," Poe added.

"Thirded," Another councilmember piped.

Senator Por-Jho's nostrils flared.

"We'll be outside," Rose told them, touching Finn's arm.

SW

Finn paced from one end of the hallway to the other, in twenty-five, perfectly placed steps. BB-8 chose to roll from the board room door to the adjacent wall where Rose sat in meditation and back again, almost as if daring Finn to run into him. BB-8 hooted, and issued a series of beeps.

How exactly are you going to contact Rey, He asked.

Rose opened her eyes and looked at him. "C-3PO has a long-distance communicator. He's been talking to Poe for a while."

That's good, no one like's being left in the dark.

"Unless you're a Jedi," Finn grumbled, turning on his heel and walking back to them.

"Is it so bad?" Rose asked him. "We're able to operate on our own, no oversight from the Council or the Republic."

Finn stopped just before her and looked down at her. "They're choosing to be afraid of us."

"Are they?" She asked, "Fear doesn't get invitations to sit on council seats."

"I'm a soldier, they can trust soldiers because half of them are soldiers in the Resistance. Rey should be the one sitting on that seat, but she's not because they're afraid of her."

"There's always going to be fear, Finn." Rose told him. "How many times have we been on the brink of being wiped out? Hope for them is as fragile as a candle flame. They won't give that flame to what they don't trust out of protection."

Finn exhaled through his nostrils, and continued pacing.

"What's really bothering you?" Rose called after him. "It's not the formation of the New Jedi, it's something else."

Finn halted, his boots clicking loudly against the tiles. He placed the tip of his right boot behind his left, and about faced to her.

"Poe, just destroyed, what family we had."

Rose leaned away for a moment, then opened her jaw and issued a quiet, "Oh."

Finn had helped Poe escape. From that, Finn found Rey. Poe and Rey had developed a brother/sister bond over piloting missions that Finn coached. The three of them had become a family unit, inseparable. Or so they had thought. With this move, Poe had placed suspicion ahead of family, distance rather than bond.

Rose huffed, and looked at Finn. "Well, families fight. It's when they stop fighting for each other that problems begin."

"Is Poe fighting for us?" Finn asked, raising his eyebrow.

"Are you? Are you, really? Or are you just fighting because you cannot have Rey by your side anymore?"

Finn stared at her, a shiver running down his spine. "That's a low blow."

"Good thing I'm sitting below you."

Finn couldn't help but half smirk.

Suddenly, the door opened and Poe emerged, immediately sending BB-8 to his calves. Poe sighed what sounded more of a grumble and looked at Finn and Rose who didn't bother jumping to her feet.

"Let me guess," Finn asked, "No vote?"

"Delayed," Poe told him. "Until they can see what you guys can do."

"An audition?" Rose asked, rising to her feet. "To be considered noteworthy of being called Jedi?"

"It wasn't my idea," He grumbled. "But, that's how it is."

"And Rey and Master Ren?" Finn asked.

Poe inhaled deeply, "They're making it an audition for you guys. If Ren's as good as he said, you would be able to shine. Alone."

SWSWSW

Ahch-To

Three Weeks Later

Ben kissed Rey's spine and shoulders, watching her read one of the Jedi texts, this one specifically on making lightsabers. She smiled, feeling his fingers creep closer and closer to her breasts.

"Ben," She warned with a grin, "I'm trying to read about how to make a lightsaber."

"Mhm," Ben sounded. "I'd rather you learn, hands on." He slid his hand between her breasts to her throat and pulled her back into his chest, kissing her lips deeply and so thoroughly the book in Rey's hands tumbled into her lap and she reached back and ran her fingers through his fluffy hair.

Rey squealed, her lips curling upward in a grin and she wrenched her head away. "Ben Solo!"

"Rey Solo!" He grinned in the same elated scowl.

"Kenobi-Solo," She corrected.

 _"_ _Kenobi_ -Solo," He repeated, rolling his eyes upward in minute punishment for not remembering, before returning to her. "Don't worry. I'll teach you how to make the lightsaber you want."

"Is it odd?" She asked, leaning back into his chest. "To dream of a lightsaber as much as I have?"

He shook his head. "I dreamt of mine for years. My lightsaber and my mask. I knew every angle, every stroke of the hammer. And you cannot make the one you want with that crystal you picked out. It's too fine, you have to use two of the smaller ones."

"And what about lightsabers for Finn and Rose?"

He hesitated, his breath coming slowly. "They're not ready for lightsabers, yet. They're trained in the Force, they're good fighters, but I always thought Jedi who were given swords as children took them for granted. Knights must earn their place."

"And… I'm to have a lightsaber?"

He shifted behind her, turning to look at her with more of his scarred eye. "Really? You need my permission to have a laser sword?"

Rey studied him, her eyes tracing his scar. It was so different seeing him this way, his eyes dancing beneath such a hideous reminder of their first chapter.

"Did you ever imagine us?" She asked quietly. "Back then?"

His smile softened, and he shook his head. "To be honest, if you hadn't kicked my ass we would have gotten nowhere."

"Why?" Rey asked, swallowing her laugh.

"I didn't want a trophy when I thought of a wife, if I thought of one. I wanted my equal. And baby, you're more than that." He nuzzled her nose with his. "You're my best friend, my lover. My apprentice and my superior."

Rey leaned forward and kissed him, once. Then twice. Then let him lay her down upon the grass, pushing the text aside, savoring the feel of his weight upon her, and the thrum of her heartbeat against her breastbone.

Ben pulled away, gazing down at her with eyes that smoldered. At once, he flicked his gaze beyond the small horizon, looking quickly for any intruders.

"No one," Rey breathed, smoothing his chest until she cupped his neck and shoulders. "They're at the beach."

He returned his gaze back down to her, and smirked.

SW

There had once been a forge on another island. The Caretakers told them so when they saw Rey and Ben deconstructing the metal of what remained of her imploded lightsaber. Ben looked at Rey when the Matron took off, waving back at them to follow her.

Rey scrambled to her feet, followed closely by her husband, and followed, stopping only when the Matron halted at a particular edge and pointed, squawking, "That island. The Jedi would swim there with their crystals and tools. They would return, standing taller and with swords."

Rey could understand the "standing taller" part. As soon as the Matron pointed the island out, Rey detected a whiff of something unbelievably strong. It wasn't a smell, not even a feeling. This was… a calling. An inescapable calling from her core to the island.

"Do you feel that?" She asked Ben.

"No," He replied, looking down at her. "But I can tell you do."

A boat was arranged for them to sail upon that day, along with a bag of tools taken from one of the many underground vaults where the Vanished Jedi's last effects waited. In a different bag, Rey stored three crystals: the one that had called to her on Canto Bight, and two smaller ones that mildly called out to her.

Once she was packed and supplies were added into the boat (the Matron said that apprentices usually didn't return within a month or two), Ben leapt in and turned around to help Rey enter. Ben had -although extremely limited- been taught to sail by some of the fishermen to better his fishing. But the breeze was perfect for sailing, and Ben steered them to the island.

It couldn't have been more than three miles away, but minutes after leaving the sandbar of Jedi Temple Island, they had entered deep water and Ben began to use real physical strength to keep them on course.

"Keep your eyes open!" He called over the whistling wind and waves. "I've seen big fish knock boats around here!"

But Rey could hardly hear him. Blood rushed in her ears, and her core was directed firmly towards the island. She ignored the splashing waves, and couldn't see the massive swirling fins flapping and diving in front of her. She could only stare at the island before her, hanging on to each small peak and promise of valleys. It was smaller than Jedi Temple Island, unsuitable for a large population to live upon for a long period of time, but that didn't appear to be the point.

Rey stood, and moved towards the nose of the boat, leaning half of her body over the bow.

"Careful," Ben called. "We're almost there!"

She couldn't hear him, and by the time he felt the Force emit from the island, it was too late to catch Rey from falling, legs over shoulders, into the ocean.

SW

Ben watched Rey drop further and further into the dark ocean, his core constricting tightly with more than shock. The Force was calling to her, but it was nothing like what he had become used to and certainly not what Rey had known. This was the Dark Side of the Force. It had masked itself and it now claimed his wife.

Without thinking, he dove in after her, desperately kicking his long limbs whilst his eyes scanned the darkening depths, pushing aside water until he found her.

She was at peace, her eyes half closed, her hands outstretched above her. The Dark Side had claimed her well, confusing her mind with something more enticing than survival. Ben reached for her, the touch of her skin shocking him like an electric current. If he hadn't been trained by Snoke, he would have been pulled into the same vacuum that she currently existed in. That is, if he could find the strength to hold on to her at all. He reached out with his other hand, gliding his fingers into her palm, reading what she saw while commanding himself to not get lost.

Her mother was there, in her mind. She held a toddler Rey in her lap, bouncing her up and down.

"Come now, Rey." She cooed, "Let's not dwell on food! There's other, prettier things to think about. Come on, think of better things to come."

Ben shook his head, blinking away the calming sight and accompanying warmth in his body. He yanked Rey's arm, wrapping his hand around her waist and kicked, summoning the Force into his body to propel the two of them from the depths and break the surface. The cold wind slapped him in welcome, and Ben inhaled sharply, lifting Rey as high as he could for similar effect.

She drew breath, but she was still not within the present. Her head lolled onto him, and her eyes stared, unfocused. Ben whirled around, looking for the boat. It had drifted, bobbing closer and closer to the intended island. Ben adjusted Rey's body, placing her back upon his chest and swam, backstroking, using the Force to keep Rey attached to him and above water.

He slung her body onto the beach, immediately cupping her face to feel how far gone into the Dark Side she had been pulled.

"Rey?" He breathed. "Baby, talk to me!"

She held still, the vein of the Dark Side wavering within her. Ben lowered his chin, latching onto the Dark Side that gripped her. It warbled, the vein itself almost sentient with only a faint, almost invisible, signature of the wielder, before breaking. The release sent her back arching upward and a gasp from her lips louder than he had ever heard it.

"That's it," Ben told her, his heart fluttering with life as he dropped control of the Dark Side. "That's it, just breathe."

Her body pulsed, her hands rising, looking for his. He gave her only one, using his other to steady her shoulder. "My… mum…" She breathed.

"Stay here with me," Ben told her, moving his arm from her shoulder to behind her neck, pulling her hand to his chest. "Stay here, Rey."

"Ben," She exhaled, her body falling limp until she curled into him, and her head nuzzled the hollow of his neck. "Ben… you're my family… now."

Ben's heart jolted and he arched his body over her, protecting her. "That's right," He breathed. "We're each other's family, now."

SW

Koita Mathe watched Kylo kiss his woman with farther than usual familiarity. He knew that kind of love, he had felt it from Fraja and Serotti. They were married, creating an even greater connection in the Force for either one of them.

But, Rey had fallen for his trap easily enough. Especially with a simple show of her mother's memory and she was ready to be goober fish food.

She's easier to control than I thought, He thought. His eyes flicked to Kylo, feeling him grab at the fibres of his vein of the Dark Side before Koita Mathe faded them completely. His nostrils flared, he couldn't use the Dark Side again on her in front of Kylo. He might not be able to use it again on her at all.

He dropped to his knees, in time to hide from Kylo's gaze. Kylo wasn't a fool, he could feel Koita Mathe's trick with the Dark Side, but -unlike Kylo- Koita Mathe was a skilled wielder of the Dark Side. Kylo hadn't been Snoke's sole apprentice after all. Simply his favorite.

Koita Mathe carefully crawled back down the slope, careful with each step to his cruiser. Kylo wouldn't force his wife to move when he was still too frightened of losing her, and he wasn't so foolish to leave when his cruiser might be seen. So, he would wait. He would stay perched there among the grass until the avians thought him worthy of setting their nests upon, and the grass felt comfortable enough to stroke with their leggy blades. Only when Kylo and Rey left the island would he move.

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	25. Chapter 25

_Surprise!_

Chapter 25

Ahch-To

Forge Island

Rey awoke in Ben's arms, feeling his breath come warm on her neck. She looked around, hearing the soft patter of rain on the sail canvas that he had stretched over the boat to give them shelter.

"Are you awake?" He breathed, his arm shaking gently around her middle.

She moaned as she turned, the small of her back sore. He peered at her, his look soft, yet concerned. There was a line beneath either eye, and he still wore his boots. Rey swallowed.

"You didn't sleep," She told him.

He shook his head, "I was feeling for that vein of the Dark Side. Whoever it was knew what they were doing."

She smiled into his throat. "It's too easy for me," Her eyes met his, "All anyone needs to show me is my parents. What if they show me you, too?"

Ben lifted his hand and pressed his thumb between her eyebrows. "You're still learning, Rey. But, I agree, it's time you graduated to the next level."

SWSWSW

It took Rey a month to make her lightsaber. On the island, deep within a cave that used only lamps to light the way, Ben showed Rey how to properly shave the crystals until their raw, concentrated power could emit the sharpest laser beam. That was the simplest task, because next came the metal that contained said laser beams.

The island was well stocked with materials, save proper tools that they brought with them. The metal that was perfect for lightsabers had been horded there for some time, meaning that Rey only needed to clean it from years of disuse before sliding it into the forge, heating it, and using the tools to curve and seal within it the active crystal. Rey even commented how it seemed like the Jedi of Ahch-To simply got up and moved one day, leaving behind perfect metals and even some (Ben called them worthless) Kyber crystals. Throughout it all, Ben stood behind her, gently guiding her in how to fulfill her vision of the perfect lightsaber.

The process took time, first in shaving then in the heating. Rey would have liked to have worked from sun up to sun down like she used to do on Jakku, but the Force had other plans. After three days of shaving the crystal, Rey straightened beside Ben, his breathing halting in a gasp.

"Go," He told her, his eyes fixed to nothing at all in front of him. "Obey the Force."

Rey obeyed, leaving the darkness of the cave to blink into the dim sunlight, the smell of rain threatening a downpour later. She moved away from the opening and sat, legs crossed, and closed her eyes.

It was a simple calling, a noteworthy appeal to her, but she lingered within it, hearing the Force speak to her. When it faded, she returned to Ben, a different image of her lightsaber in her mind. The one she had dreamed about had been vivid, or so she thought. Now, the dream seemed an abstract image, and the Force's call to her a more defined drawing. Almost like a blueprint. For days, the Force called to her as they worked, and each time, Ben let her go without hesitation. He didn't continue on her lightsaber without her, but rather he dropped down to the same position of meditation and felt the Force surge around him, waiting for his wife to return.

At night, they returned to the boat and fell into each other's arms. At first, they made love, savoring the absolute aloneness of the island, heating the frigid boat as they moved. But, as the calls of the Force became more frequent, they simply kissed and held each other tightly, burrowing beneath warm blankets and placed rocks heated by the forge at their feet. They couldn't explain their decision if an outsider knew enough to ask, but it was simply a feeling. A _knowing_. They couldn't consummate on this island, even if the Porgs were the only residents.

After some time had passed, Ben commanded Rey set down her screwdriver and step aside. He picked up the lightsaber and held it lengthwise up to his nose, eyeing the straightened edge, and nodded.

"There," He said, handing it to her. "You've made your first lightsaber. Now, you can make another one if you lose or break it."

Rey smiled to herself, holding the long piece of silver in her hands. She wasn't done yet, they both knew that, but knowing she could defend herself at any time against any enemy with a similar weapon, that was knowledge that she could take with her anywhere she went.

SW

Rey held two lightsabers in her hands, admiring them. One was finer than the other, less scratched, but that didn't matter. Only she would hold it, really. She inhaled, Moment of truth, she thought. She turned them upside down, revealing two, matching secure toggles, and pressed them together. With a twist and a secure _click,_ their bottoms fit together and when she moved her hands to the buttons to ignite them, savoring the feel of the cool metal on her fingers. Two straight beams of ivory white shot out beside her, sturdy and waiting, humming in wait of her next move. The metal didn't burn, and the grips she had built in promised to remain true. She was ready.

She looked up and saw Ben take a step back, his eyes widening with pure interest.

"White," He breathed, his deep monotone catching in the wind. "Control and focus, non-labelled. A perfect fit, my darling."

He reached up and unfastened his lightsaber, the wicked crimson spitting and humming loudly in revolt of her pure white blades. He twirled his lightsaber around him, a challenge. Rey twirled her staff blades in a similar manner, planting it on her side, the warmth of the beams heating her legs, her knees bent and ready for his next move.

Or so she thought.

At once, Ben shot out his hand and she gasped, seeing in her mind's eye the both of them making love in their hut of Jedi Temple Island. She could even smell his breath as he neared climax… she shoved the sight out of her mind, whirling around instead to look for him. He had gone, leaving her standing alone on the island.

She doused her staff, the Force tingling around her. This was a test, a new lesson to learn now that she had the proper tools to proceed. Rey moved forward, casting a glance at the cave and feeling for his presence.

Ben's presence was completely hidden from the Force. That familiar verdant green hue that he emitted was gone. She whirled around, blinking.

"Ben?"

The wind whipped around her, bringing with it a thousand hisses, a thousand different voices. She spun, looking towards those voices that seemed most familiar.

Unkar Plutt croaking, "One quarter portion,"

General Organa cooing, "Hope is like the sun,"

Ben urging, "Let the past die,"

So many voices, each one thrusting into her whatever feeling she received when she first heard those words. Disdain, hope, fear… all at once.

Rey plopped down to the rock, willing herself to silence them. The grass growing in front of her.

"I'm going to be needing a copilot…"

The chaos of the tide.

"Such spunk. Look here, now. The entire Resistance, those transports. Soon they will all be gone. For you, all is lost."

The life of the Porgs.

"Na-uh. There's only one person in the galaxy that can do that. Let's hear it for Captain Rey!"

The darkness of the caves cut from the water.

"Balance," Rey whispered.

Her double bladed staff was on before her eyes were opened, Ben's face in front of her before she realized she was standing. They fought, Ben throwing at her Dark Side energy after Dark Side energy. Rey shook off each one, though it hurt her more and more. It was a deeply physical thing to combat this energy, on top of keeping her limbs attached from his flying lightsaber.

At one instant, he pushed her back and stepped away from her, their fight moving them closer and closer to the cave where the forge cooled.

"Always find the balance, Rey," He told her, turning off his lightsaber. "No matter what comes at you. If you're standing alone, or if you're by my side, always find it."

He looked to the mouth of the cave, then back at her. "Go in."

Those two words. She knew nearly every inch of that cave having spent hours down there. But once he added those two words, Rey felt fear channel through her veins. She swallowed, and doused her lightsaber, looking from him to the cave, then back again.

She lifted her foot and placed it in front of her. Her heart thrummed in her ears as she passed him, her thumb dancing upon her lightsaber. She stepped down, feeling the darkness twinge around her as she descended. Something had come upon the island, something she had been too naïve to realize, and Ben far too experienced to ignore. The further she stepped into the cave, the more she felt it; the darkness had become alive. One look back, that's all she allowed herself, one look back to her husband, then proceeded further.

It was the forge she remembered. The fire pit that fed into the stone machine, the stone shelves that held tools and work space. The dirt floor that dusted her shoes. But, it held within it a wickedness, a hair raising silent scream that she couldn't name. It wasn't the Force warning her of danger, it was… something else.

Rey lifted her lightsaber, hands finding the ignition buttons, waiting, listening. Suddenly, a figure moved towards the rear of the cave. Rey dug her feet into the ground, there was only one entrance, and she had used it.

SW

Ben wanted to pace, wanted to do anything but wait to see what version of his wife would emerge. He whirled towards the entrance in time to see her ivory blades ignite.

"Ben, wait."

He whirled around again, his heart skipping a beat.

Luke Skywalker stood before him, cast in the same ghostly hue as his grandfather had been. He was just as Ben remembered him, with a trim beard, lazy condescending eyes, and hair that threatened to get up and wave at any given moment.

"This is your lesson," Luke told him, his voice soft. "Every teacher's greatest fear is letting their student go for the first time."

"She's not just my student," Ben snarled.

Luke cocked his head to the right, "True. But you weren't instructing her as a husband when you told her to go down there alone, were you?"

Ben hesitated, yearning to give the cave one last glance.

"Right, you were, Ben Solo," A scratchy, milky voice told him.

Ben looked around and saw, much to his heart's jolting discomfort, a dwarfed green alien with ears that pointed straight out on either side of his head, sitting on a rock near Luke's image. At once, Ben fell to his knee and bowed his head.

"Master Yoda," He marveled.

"Ah, respect, you have learned well. Good storytelling, you did, Luke."

"Oh great, one thing." Luke sighed.

Yoda made a noise of agreement, then turned back to Ben. "Right, you were, too, Ben Solo."

Ben lifted his head, his eyes meeting the bulbous, kind eyes set in the oblong head. "When?" He asked.

"When vowed, you did, to destroy Rey." He lifted his neck in a small gesture of pleasure.

Ben, however, felt his stomach fall from his body. "No, no, I couldn't destroy Rey. Please, tell me that I didn't…" He looked over his shoulder to the entrance of the cave, straining his ears to hear for her.

He turned back to the sound of the dwarfed alien laughing at him. "Young one, good, destruction can be." He stood from his rock and walked to him, using a cane about the size of Ben's forearm. "What did you tell Finn, when first you began training him? Hmm?"

"I had to make him stop thinking of himself as a Stormtrooper, and start thinking as a Jedi." Ben answered, taking small glances at Yoda's appearance, willing himself to commit the legendary Master to memory.

"But not do the same to Rey, why didn't you? Hmm?" His head bobbled again. "Think not that your wife sees beyond of Jakku. A scavenger, she still believes herself to be. A fighter, for sure, but a Jedi, she thinks not."

A pang of guilt shivered through Ben's core. He hadn't entirely thought of that.

"Good, destruction can be." Yoda repeated. "When balanced with life in equal measure. When broken, a seed is, can a harvest grow."

Ben swallowed, then looked up. "What's your point?"

"Let Rey be broken," Luke told him. "That way a new Jedi can emerge."

"Indeed," Yoda agreed. "From you both, life will come. From your teaching, a new knight will emerge." He pointed one of three thick fingers fitted with a talon at Ben's chest.

Ben leaned back, the words bubbling forth, "A knight of light? Or of darkness?"

Silence whipped through the two phantom Masters. Then, Master Yoda answered, "That question, only Rey can answer."

SW

Rey stared at the figure as it waltzed around the forge. It stood tall, and was dressed entirely in black. Everything in her knowledge told her that this figure was Kylo Ren, but her feelings within the Force told her otherwise. This was something more familiar.

From it's side, a lightsaber was lifted by a black gloved hand, and a wicked, crimson beam shot forth. It faced her, revealing a mask of matte black with no distinguishing marks upon it. No Face, the Force called it. No name, no one. Even it's armor was nicely designed, but solid black to match the mask.

Rey ignited her lightsaber, the twin ivory blades halting No Face where it stood. From it's side, it withdrew a second, equal lightsaber and connected it to it's preexisting one. Rey lowered her chin, Snoke's horrid words echoing in her mind:

"Darkness rises, and light to meet it."

They fought. Rey moved her staff about her body in a calculated swirl, but No Face met each blow, each stroke. No Face quickly disassembled it's lightsaber, nearly catching Rey off guard if she hadn't done likewise and stepped back. She gasped, her nose throbbing from the feel of the heat that nearly sliced her in half.

She twirled her lightsabers in both hands, watching No Face do likewise. We can do this for hours, Rey thought. He's that good.

She inhaled, and closed her eyes, feeling the Force ebb and flow around them. It was unlike anything she had ever felt. It was like a vein shifting blood from one part of a massive body to another. No Face stalked around her, waiting for her next move. But Rey didn't give it.

No Face stepped forward, both lightsabers extended. Rey parried them with a single sword. Her eyes flew open the moment her other lightsaber slashed No Face across the mask, sending it hurtling to the ground with a _thunk!_

Rey exhaled, and inhaled rapidly, the surging, thick, darkness evaporating around her. She doused her lightsabers and stared at the body of No Face, watching the smoke waft away from it's face.

Not it.

Her.

No Face was a woman.

No Face was Rey.

SW

Ben's eyes flew open at the feel of a hand upon his shoulder. Looking up, he saw Rey standing beside him, a slight smile upon her cheeks.

"Hey Ben," She said. Her voice was tired and the small wisps of hair that curled at the nape of her neck stuck to her with sweat. She had been fighting.

He scrambled to his feet, longing with every inch of his being to pull her into his chest until she squirmed to get away. But, he didn't. There was something still to be done.

He looked over her shoulder, and nodded to them.

"Look," He told her.

Hesitant, she obeyed, then gasped as she turned full around.

Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ben's namesake, stood beside Anakin Skywalker and his son Luke, Yoda beneath them all. They stood, waiting patiently as Ben moved around her and inhaled.

"Rey," He began, butterflies erupting in his stomach. She turned to look at him, her eyes dancing with excitement. "Kneel with me," He told her.

In one, fluid movement, Rey sank to one knee alongside Ben, turning their attentions to Master Yoda who stepped forward.

"Rey Kenobi-Solo," He began, regarding her with bluish, kind eyes. "Hold out your lightsaber."

Nervously, Rey reached to her sides and connected her lightsaber before holding it out to him.

"Know you what this is?" He gestured with one of his claws.

Rey nodded. "Yes… Master."

"Know you what it can do?"

Again, Rey nodded. "Yes, Master."

"Who taught you?"

"My master, Ben Solo, grandson of… actually, I don't know if he had a name other than Darth Vader."

Anakin stepped forward, a playful smirk on his lips. "Anakin Skywalker."

Rey looked quickly from him to Master Yoda, "Ben Solo, grandson of Anakin Skywalker."

"Then know you well, the teachings of the Force."

Rey hesitated, looking from the squat alien to the lightsaber she presented. She nodded, "Yes, Master."

"Unsheathe, do not without reason. Use, do not, without valor." Master Yoda looked up and closed his eyes, "Continue, I cannot. The ways of the Jedi, are no more."

Rey flinched forward, but halted at one look from Luke.

Master Yoda continued as though he hadn't noticed anything. "Continue, Ben Solo."

Ben rose, the butterflies falling away as he stood before his wife. Don't fall, he commanded himself. Don't stand inside one of the ghosts, either.

"Rey Kenobi-Solo, from this moment, you are no longer a scavenger from Jakku. You have a name, and your path has been laid before you." He inhaled, the gravitas of the words exciting him for a moment. "May the Force guide you in the ways of the light. May the Force be there to help you defend the innocent for the powers of darkness. May the Force… be with you. Rise, Rey, Jedi Knight."

She smiled before she stood, clutching her lightsaber to her chest. She looked at him, her eyes moving from his eyes to her lips, then to his eyes again.

Ben mashed his lips as he stepped aside, letting Obi-Wan step forward. His eyes, once probably brown but now a warm blue, glittered just like Rey's did. He lifted his eyebrows for a moment, then lifted his hand and brought it across her cheek, the vapors running through her like a freezing wave.

"And there's so you can remember it."

SWSWSW

Airspace Over Hydok Planetary Systems

Dreadnought _Tarpeian_

Finn crept down the hallway with Rose, blasters at the ready. They had been expected to have lightsabers, but that was yet another disappointment their former close comrades would have to live with. Rose turned to Finn, halting him and the Rebels that moved behind them. The Force zinged around them, cautioning of what lied just beyond the corridor blast doors. Finn signaled to the Rebels behind him, sending them to the walls for cover.

He looked back at Rose, seeing her stare into absolute nothingness, feeling for a definition of the Force's call. He gave a delicate whistle, capturing her attention.

She looked up, and shook her head, confused.

He closed his eyes, feeling for the strain himself. She was right to feel confused. Fear and confidence, danger, and nerves all balled into one. What was happening?

He opened his eyes and she lifted her shoulders.

There was only one way to find out.

Finn extended his hand toward the blast doors, and closed his eyes. The door shivered, until it opened slowly, revealing three Stormtrooper officers kneeling before a herd of anxiously shifting subordinates.

"Heads up!" A Stormtrooper shouted, fanning out the herd so that their blasters pointed down the freshly opened corridor.

Finn lifted his blaster, the Force directing his fingers.

"Wait!" The middle Stormtrooper called, her voice muffled. Slowly, she stepped forward, her nerves rising with every second that passed. She holstered her weapon, and took a deep inhale before lifting her helmet off.

Finn tightened his grip on his blaster. It would be just like the First Order to take advantage like this.

"Are you him?" The green eyed woman asked, her ponytail falling over her pristine white armor. "The one who escaped? Are you him?"

"Who are you?" Rose demanded, eyeing her with the same distrust as Finn. "Why are those officers tied up?" She gestured with her blaster to the officers.

"Shoot them!" An officer shouted.

A Stormtrooper closest to them, thrust his leg back and kicked the officer, issuing a hasty "shut up!"

"Are you him?" The Unmasked Trooper asked again, her face alighting with hope. "We heard stories about him. He came back disguised as an officer, he killed Phasma, he fought Ren. Is it you? Are you…" She inhaled, then whispered with upmost reverence, "FN-2187?"

Finn lowered his blaster to his stomach. "My name is Finn, now."

She let out an exited gasp, tears dotting the corners of her eyes. "I call myself 'Hope.'"

At once, Hope whirled around to her comrades, crying cheerfully, "It's him! The One Who Escaped! It's FN-2187!"

An officer let out a groan as the Stormtroopers lowered their weapons and unmasked themselves. Different faces, different voices, but all smiled and moved towards Finn in delighted shock that he would be there before them.

"What is this place?" Rose asked, lowering her blaster to her waist.

Hope, an arm's length away from Finn, barely turned her head to address her. "The Dreadnought _Tarpeian._ Disciplinary ship."

It hit Finn harder than falling off a cliff. "Of course!" He exclaimed, looking at Rose. "I knew I recognized the name!"

"Discipline for what?" A Rebel asked, the rest of them moving forward cautiously.

"Where are they?" Finn asked Hope, extending his hand for Rose.

"This way," Hope told him, tears rolling down her cheeks and into her smile.

She led them down a corridor, her movement almost dancelike. She tapped an access code and opened a door that emitted a large blast of hot air at them. Finn clutched Rose's hand, her grip tightening as well at the feeling that came from the room. Hope stepped through, gesturing with an excited hand that they should follow.

It was an observation deck to an armor factory. The workers were to make the armor plating for Stormtroopers, hammering and shaping endlessly. The workers themselves were muscled and lean, not from the long hours -although that would certainly be a factor- but from the fact that this was one of the places where Stormtroopers who did not fulfill Reconditioning protocols were sent.

The only difference that Finn could see from these workers and the tales of the slave ships that worked them was that two of the five overseers that were supposed to be watching them were bleeding on the floor, two more were kneeling before three burly men with iron rods for weapons, and one was locked in a cage away from the rioting prisoners.

"Tarpeian Rebels!" Hope screeched, scaring Finn. "He's here! FN-2187! He's rescued us!"

A roar thundered through the room, the prisoners throwing up their hands and hugging each other, ignoring the sweltering heat and grime that coated them in their happiness.

Finn looked at Rose, pride swelling though he knew he shouldn't show it.

She smirked at him, "I always knew you were a hero."

He smiled at her, even as Hope danced around the observation deck chanting, "Finn! Finn! Finn!"

Then, the Force dropped, and the fires that warmed the factory extinguished in a cold, quick _whoosh_!

"What is it?" Rose asked, her voice dropping as Finn looked away from her.

The Force called to them, echoing in their ears the faint words:

"Fire on the _Tarpeian!_ Spring the trap! Spring the trap!"

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	26. Chapter 26

_My bad, didn't see that it had messed up. Merry Christmas (still)!_

Chapter 26

Ahch-To

Rey's eyes fluttered open, her stomach twisting painfully at the smell of baking bread. Sleepily, she sat up and pushed the blankets off her, the movement making her thighs sore. Ignoring it, she stood and stretched, her shoulders echoing pain. They really needed a proper bed, or leave intercourse for grassy areas where they could be alone.

She dressed quickly and exited the hut, letting her hair fly around her shoulders freely. She needed food _now._ Ben was right outside the hut, adding another piece of kindling to the fire. He had made a type of stone oven and had insisted on doing his own cooking if they would still be privy to the valuable food supply. The sight of him before the oven, sleeves rolled to his elbows and his hands caked with dough, ingredients to make bread spread around him in small bowls, made Rey feel uneasy.

"Good morning," She called, pulling him from his work.

"Good morning," He grinned at her, his face changing from joy at her arrival, to smug at the sight of her moving stiffly to her designated seat at a flat rock. "How are you?" He asked, managing to keep the tease out of his voice.

"Shouldn't I do that?" Rey asked, gesturing to the oven. "I am the wife."

Ben looked at her and lifted his eyebrows. "Can you?"

She stiffened, her lower half settling down. "No. We never had the ingredients on Jakku. Or, well, someone did, but it wasn't me."

Ben smirked, wiping his hands on a rag. "Dare I ask what you had?"

"In the portions that Unkar Plutt gave us, there was a green… sludge thing, and powder that turned into bread when you put it in water."

"Were either of them any good?"

Rey shook her head, "They weren't supposed to be. They were food."

He shook his head and tossed the rag aside. "You don't have to cook unless you want to, Rey. I can do it."

"Where did you learn to cook?" Rey frowned; she couldn't imagine the wrinkled old Snoke teaching Ben how to boil an egg or bake bread.

"Luke," Ben told her. "It's a survival skill to take with you wherever you go. I can survive in the desert, in the forest, in water systems or mountain ones. So," He looked down at his little oven that radiated heat, "You really don't have to cook if you don't want to. I can do it."

Rey half smiled, "I wouldn't mind learning."

"Alright, then." He smiled, then crossed the distance to sit next to her in his usual spot. "So long as you agree to keep the hut clean."

"I can do that," Rey smiled, turning to him. "Although, I'm… not good at laundry. I hate it! So much water that can be used for drinking and we're making it unusable."

He studied her, his face alight with love and happiness. "You can put out two water collection jugs. Use one for laundry, the other for drinking water. Put them out each night and when you have enough for laundry, do the laundry."

"What if we don't use that much drinking water?"

"Then you'll see how we don't need to ration so much water and that you're not on a desert anymore."

She let out a breathy laugh, and turned away to hide her reddening cheeks. He chuckled beside her and covered her fingertips with his.

"Ben," She told him, turning back to look at him. "I want to live somewhere with trees. A forest with as much green as the eye can see."

"Like Takodana?" He asked, leaning back as though he too was imagining the home she had been longing for.

"Not Takodana," Rey sighed. "Somewhere… I don't know. Hidden. No Resistance, no First Order. A place where we could live… with our family and maybe Jedi students?"

Ben was silent. He caught that word alright.

"Family?"

"And students! We could live in a home we could build together-"

"Family?"

"And in a forest there's more chances of bare knuckle survival-"

"Family?"

"Granted the sentient beings on there will let us live there-"

He gripped her hand, cutting her off. He stared at her face, brown eyes as round as tree trunks.

"Family?"

She hesitated, "The Force. It's been talking to me in a new way. And I feel anxious of… an arrival. I can't explain it, Ben."

"How long have you been feeling it?"

"For… several weeks now. It was small at first, but now, I can't help but start to wonder…"

They sat together in perfect silence, her face cast in growing worry, his in sheer delight.

"Rey," He breathed deeply.

"Ben," She mumbled.

"Rey!" He cried, a smile smacking his face like it would tear.

"Ben," She quivered.

"Captain Kenobi-Solo!"

They both shrunk at the brassy sound of C-3PO's voice anxiously calling to them. Originally a good idea, the protocol droid had lost his novelty especially when Ben and Rey got married and… well, he had a habit of showing up on parts of the island where they thought were private.

"Captain Kenobi-Solo!"

Ben's eyes glittered, "Maybe, if we whisper, he won't-"

"There you are Captain, I was shouting for you."

Rey cast an amused look at Ben before turning to C-3PO. "What can I do for you, Threepio?"

"I received a long distance emergency hyperwave from Commander Dameron. He says the three of us are to be ready to go at a moment's notice. Something about a trap capturing a significant number of ships."

"What?" Rey cried, immediately on her feet. "Where's Finn?"

"And Rose?" Ben's voice asked behind Rey.

"That he did not say. Only that it was an emergency."

Rey turned back to Ben, their gaze saying the same thing: there was only one reason to call for the Masters and that was because the apprentices had failed.

SWSWSW

Rey clutched Ben's hand as the _Millennium Falcon_ soared into Ahch-To's stratosphere. It had been somewhat difficult to bid farewell to the Caretakers, especially for C-3PO who had grown to accustomed to their particular order of things that he might have cried if he had tear ducts.

Rey inhaled, and turned to her husband, admiring him as the wind blew his hair back, and billowed his black cloak behind him.

"I hate this part," She told him, bringing his warm eyes to her.

"Starting over again?" He asked.

She nodded.

"Me too." He lifted their clasped hands and kissed her knuckles. "At least we won't be alone this time. That's sure to be an adventure."

She couldn't help but smile, and turned back to the _Millennium Falcon_ as it landed gently. With her free hand, she reached down and felt her lightsaber firmly attached to her side. I can do this, She thought.

The ship landed, and the boarding ramp lowered with a steamy hiss, the sound of welcome from the interior coming in the form of a wild roar.

Get in!

Ben's nerves flashed hesitant anxiety, but it went away the moment Rey shouldered her bag. Chewie's displeasure would have to wait.

"Oh how good it is to be on the _Millennium Falcon_ again!" C-3PO exclaimed. "Oh, and it looks almost like new! How splendid. Good to see that standards are being kept somewhere. Oh R2-D2! Is that you?"

It most certainly was the blue and white astromech, whistling as he glided from the cockpit to welcome Rey and Ben.

Rey grinned at the sight of him, "Hello Artoo!"

R2-D2 hooted at them, and gave a series of low beeps.

"What do you mean, dire straits?" Rey frowned. "I thought Finn and Rose were with the Resistance?"

Chewbacca roared from the cockpit, the boarding ramp hissing closed.

"Come on, Rey." Ben told her, firmly. "Let's go before we end up slapped against the wall."

The ship grumbled and moaned, hurrying them to the cockpit where Chewbacca waited in the co-pilot's seat, his massive head careening around his shoulder to glare at Rey to hurry up.

"Hey, Chewie!" She grinned, dropping her bag straps over the pilot's seat to secure it whilst Ben silently plopped down in a seat behind her. Rey took the controls in her hands, feeling the thrum and heartbeat of her ship, and smiled. "It's been a while," She told them.

She could see Ben smiling at her in the reflection of the glass.

Chewbacca moaned. Less dreaming, more flying!

At once, Rey clicked buttons and issued commands to Chewbacca, all of which were answered by low grunts and a shivering ship. Through the windshield, the islands of Ahch-To sank beneath them, turning their direction to the billowing grey clouds that promised rain. Rey smiled, feeling the thrill of a thousand butterflies tickling her innards.

"Let's fly," She smiled.

At once, the power of the thrusting engine pushed apart the clouds and propelled them into the stars, leaving behind the grey faced, kind Caretakers and their island speckled planet.

"Right, Chewie," Rey ordered, pushing aside the tender feeling of a chapter closing, "Take us into hyperspace."

Coordinates were set, and before they knew it, the stars stretched into white streaks on a navy blue tunnel and catapulted them into the beyond.

"Right, then," Rey sighed, unbuckling her seatbelt and turning towards the guests in the cockpit. "Will someone tell us what's going on or shall we guess at it?"

Chewbacca gave a lamented wail as he turned his body in his chair.

"Things cannot be as bad as all that," C-3PO contradicted.

"Artoo?" Rey asked, giving a quick glance at Ben. "Please explain."

R2-D2 issued a series of rapid beeps and twitches of his domed head, all of which faded Rey's demeanor until she sat in shock before them all.

"Shocker," Ben grumbled, lifting his eyebrow. "They overplayed their hand. I told Dameron that Hux had the same list."

Rey ignored him and demanded, "Are they alive?"

We think so, R2-D2 chirped. They cannot communicate with us.

Immediately, Rey's eyes snapped shut to feel for him. She was greeted by a flick to the brain that made her flinch.

"Don't," Ben told her, his eyes firm. "If they're in a fight, your feelings could distract him. Your very voice in his mind will draw his attention away from his priorities. Just wait, darling. You'll know soon enough."

There's more, R2-D2 added. It has to do with the Jedi.

Ben and Rey listened quietly, hearing all the astromech had to offer. When he beeped his last, they sat in silence. Ben turned to Rey, seeing her hands grip the seat.

She was out. After everything she had done for the Resistance, after all her strong "relationships," she was out.

"Rey," Ben breathed.

She stood, swaying gently with the movement of the ship, and turned to Chewbacca.

"Chewie, did you fix the high voltage compositor on the third quadrant panels?"

The Wookiee shrugged and whimpered.

"Never mind. I'll do it myself."

The droids watched her go, sputtering slightly with shock as she walked out of the cockpit without a word.

"She's going to fix something?" C-3PO asked Ben. "She was just given big news, and she's going to-"

He cut himself off as they heard a metal flooring grate clatter across the ship followed by a banshee-type wail echoing through the corridors.

SW

Rey grabbed a spare wrench and sent the Force to a grate hiding away the ship's interior, a spot that she knew to be virtually indestructible from repairs made to it some time ago involving painstakingly placed Rbenian steel. At once, she jumped down into it and howled, crashing her wrench across the steel, not leaving a scratch but an annoying _plong_ in it's wake _._ She whacked away at the steel, hitting until tears blurred her vision and her arms ached.

Then, all at once, she flung the wrench away and fell to the flooring, panting and crying, the bitter taste of salt an unwelcome companion to the heat in her stomach. After all she had done. Her family…

Her family…

Rejected her.

Again.

SWSWSW

 _Sidious_

Hux stared out of the observation deck, savoring the sound of pure silence for once since moving onto this fine, new ship. There had been so much planning, so much protection needing to be executed that this one instance, this smallest moment of solitude was pure bliss. He inhaled, and rubbed his shoulder with his left hand. What he would have given to have-

A BB droid rolled to him, squawking his presence. General Hux, sir, it said, Your wife is contacting you.

Hux turned it, and dropped his hand, the faintest smile coming to his lips. "Patch her through," He commanded.

At once, a small, blue light projected from the droid's domed head, revealing Veela in a comfortable chair wearing a sensible dress as opposed to her voluminous outfits that had become her norm since becoming First Lady. Such dresses revealed more of her frame, showing her to be a willowy, almost skeletal thing. Yet, she still possessed a beauty that called to him even lightyears away.

"Hullo, darling. How are you today?"

"I am unwell, Armitage." She confessed with a sigh, her face perfectly fatigued to match her words.

"Oh? I am sorry to hear that. I shall have the doctor sent to you, immediately."

"I have seen the one who attends you when you are here on Mesumi. He sent me to a specialist in women's medicine and has told me some, rather joyful news."

"Oh?" He asked. She could look a bit more pleased if it is joyful news, He thought, but said nothing.

She smiled, and caressed her middle, instantly sending shivers down Hux's back.

"I am expecting your first child, Armitage."

"Don't you mean _our_ first child, Veela?" He blurted, unable to help himself.

At once, her smile vanished. "Yes, Armitage. Forgive me, I meant to say _our_. _Our_ first child." She grimaced.

"Well," He half smiled, "That is indeed happy news. Especially after our disappointment in the spring."

She recoiled, but forced her smile to remain. "Yes. As you said, we would conceive again and alas, we have."

"I shall have to make occasion to see you before the birth. I was thinking of travelling towards Mesumi in three months' time, do you think that to be sufficient?"

"Four months," She said quickly. "I should like to be over the first trimester mark before you come. You know how much I care about pleasing you."

"Yes, indeed. I shall arrange my schedule accordingly. Is there anything else?"

Veela shook her head, the blue hologram perfectly animating her body's adjustment out of stiffness. "No, I simply felt you should be made informed by myself rather than some dreary file or calloused officer. Have… you perhaps anything to tell me?"

"No," Hux told her immediately, though she would have been a good opinion for several matters regarding the _Sidious_. "Nothing you need be bothered with. I shall see you in time, and call you later."

"Farewell, husband," Veela sighed.

SWSWSW

 _Millennium Falcon_

Ben wrapped his arms around Rey's waist, and kissed her spine. Her skin was cold, but her insides were boiling hot. She glared at her handiwork, a full dent in a pipe and several broken gauge glasses. She touched his hand, feeling some of her fire diminish at his touch.

"We can get that house now," He whispered. "The one in the forest."

She swallowed, her fire tempering for a moment. "Surrounded by students and children."

He kissed her shoulder, the sound of his lips on her robe echoing in the crawl chamber.

She lifted herself and continued, "They won't tell us how we are to handle our business. We will do so as we see it."

He stopped kissing her. "As the Force wills it." He corrected. "Our will is changeable. Yesterday, you would have died for the Resistance, now you might just kill a couple because you feel like it."

She couldn't help but smile and lean back into him. "It… just hurts, though." She breathed, her smile fading as her chin began to wobble. "How they…"

"I know. Poe will have another way of explaining it. Another way of giving you hope. But the truth is simple: you and I are on our own, now. We'll help them, sure. But we are not bound to them."

"Only Finn and Rose, though." She told him. "They're ours. Our practice children."

He chuckled into her ear. "That's for sure."

She looked over her shoulder to peer at his face, "Make sure I don't kill Poe, darling."

"No promises, baby."

She laughed as he kissed her.

SWSWSW

 _Ikher Dawn_

Rey proudly held her husband's hand as they disembarked the _Millennium Falcon_ together, her lightsabers tapping her sides like calm assurances. Before them, BB-8 and Poe Dameron waited, watching them as they moved.

Only BB-8 rushed to Rey the moment she cleared the boarding plank in a flurry of beeps and whistles.

"Beebee Ate!" Rey grinned, releasing Ben's hand to kneel before him. "Yes, your antenna's fine. How are you?"

BB-8's hoots halted as the droid rolled back, his domed head peering down at Rey's left hand.

Rey looked down at her star ring and nodded, "Yeah. I'm married now. I have a family."

You were always family to me, BB-8 chirped, twitching his body towards her.

Rey smiled and scratched his head before standing to face Poe. At once, her warmth cooled to a lukewarm-ready-to-boil-at-any-given-moment.

"Poe," She said stiffly.

"Mrs. Solo," He grinned.

"Kenobi-Solo," Ben and Rey corrected together.

He nodded with a look that spelled out "whatever."

"How's Finn and Rose?" Ben asked, his face unreadable.

At once, Poe snapped into Commander mode and gestured for them to follow him. "Officially, we don't know." He told them, walking side-by-side with Ben and Rey. "Unofficially," He looked over his shoulder for a moment, "The ship is running on fumes trying to get out, but the First Order isn't letting up. We have no idea what's going on."

He moved briskly, stepping around saluting crewmen to lead them towards the conference room that Rey had been interrogated in many times. As they moved, crewmen and officers cleared a path for them, halting their work to stare at them as they passed. Some were pleased to see Rey, recognizing her talent for flying and definitely for her skills with a lightsaber. Others sneered at them, aligning her love with treason for the tall man in dark robes who walked beside her. She kept her chin high as they moved; they knew nothing of what she'd gone through whilst away.

The moment the door to the conference room closed, Ben spoke. "Speak plainly, Commander," He told him. "What is happening on the battlefield?"

"We don't know," Poe told him. "We sent in a small squadron of soldiers led by Finn and Rose to steal the dreadnought _Tarpeian._ To our knowledge, they've secured the ship, but the First Order laid a trap. The transport ship was lost and the _Tarpeian_ is on fumes with barely enough fuel to make a jump to lightspeed. They haven't jumped because we're fairly certain that they've installed trackers on all their new ships. The _Sidious_ just showed up, so we're thinking that one of the dreadnoughts are tracking it. We want to send a unit in, but we're afraid of appearing desperate. This… it's different somehow. How the First Order's attacking. I've never seen them hit so hard on a single battle before."

"That's because the _Tarpeian_ is a disciplinary vessel," Ben told him shifting his weight. "Everyone on there has, in some way, turned against the First Order. Hux must not want to take any chances after the headaches that Finn has caused. And what in your right mind made you go after _that_ ship?"

"It was next on the list," Poe told him, lifting his shoulders. "It was listed as ready for raw manufa-"

"Seriously?" Ben interrupted, lifting his eyebrow. "That's the sole basis of this attack? What part of the First Order has the same list didn't you understand when I gave it to you? The _Tarpeian_ was only recently expanded!"

"Oh, you want to talk about our methods of attack?" Poe spat, "We can play that game all day, buddy. All week if we have to!"

"Enough!" Rey called, standing between the two men. "Shouting will not get Finn and Rose back!" She looked from Poe to her husband, sending the Force to either of them to get them to remain calm. She turned to Poe, "If you want to send a squadron to get them back, we will be pleased to help."

Poe's eyes immediately met hers. "Help?" He asked, lifting his eyebrow.

"Yes," She murmured, "The Jedi consult and lend their swords where it is needed, right?"

He straightened as though a bolt of lightning rammed right through him. By such a look, she could only hope that her face was fierce enough to have earned it. Behind her, Rey could feel Ben's smirk if it was her own.

He cleared his throat,

"I'll need _my_ ship."

SWSWSW

 _Sidious_

Hux marched to the command bridge, his step light. "What is happening, Admiral?"

From the side, Colonel Cutter tore away from an oversight panel to stand by Hux's side, though he stayed silent as Admiral Craig turned to him. "Sir, we have the intruders on the run. We are calculating that they are currently on their last torpedoes and soon won't be able to jump to lightspeed."

"And why are we focusing our efforts on this one ship?" Hux asked, shifting his weight.

"Because the two Rebels we tried to execute on the _Finalizer_ 's original ship are on there, sir." Colonel Cutter told him. "They have already appeared to have rallied…"

He trailed off, turning towards the observation window and taking a step away from his leader.

"Rallied what, Colonel?" Hux spat.

"Sir," Admiral Craig gasped, causing Hux to turn to him. The man had gone white as a sheet, and flinched towards the command center. "It's Ren."

The name sent shivers down Hux's spine. That ghost, had not been heard from in a placidly long time, nor his annoying female counterpart. He stepped forward, nearly pressing his nose to the glass, eyes scanning the blooming carnage for the sleek model TIE jet.

"We've seen that ship before," Hux told them. "This is nothing new."

He detested how his last statement twisted into a question.

Colonel Cutter flinched back as parts of a ship exploded in front of them, the pitch black _Raven Starr_ soaring overhead as a barrage of Rebel ships appeared out of lightspeed, weaving expertly around their dreadnoughts.

"Sir, there's only one who flies like that," Colonel Cutter breathed.

SW

 _Ikher Dawn_

Rey watched from the blue holoscreen as Ben wove in and out of Rebel jets as well as TIE fighters, feeling the chaos overpower the dreadnoughts chasing the _Tarpeian_. Beside her, Kaydel spoke into her intercom, rolling her eyes as Poe lamented his frustrations against Ben's piloting. Apparently, Ben couldn't care less about taking directions and was more focused on an agenda only he knew about.

Not for the first time Rey yearned to be beside him, manning the secondary cannons and keeping another set of eyes on him though he didn't need it. But, as a married couple, they were entitled to their own shared room and so Rey stayed behind to secure it (although she also prepared the _Millennium Falcon's_ sleeping quarters because Ben would not like being in the middle of a hall). But most importantly, she had wanted to visit the medical wing for an internal exam. However, she'd received word that the battle had begun and so the appointment was postponed.

Suddenly, the hull of the leading dreadnought exploded, a bright white bloom appearing before Rey's nose.

"What was that?" Kaydel demanded, her eyes wide.

Rey couldn't keep the smile from her lips. "Ben," She whispered.

Like blood in the water, the Rebel ships turned all cannons onto the bleeding ship, firing a sudden barrage that nearly sawed off the nose, and caused two dreadnoughts to disappear into lightspeed.

At once, Rey closed her eyes, doing her best to contain her emotions so that she might call out to him. Finn reminded Rey of stout oak trees and sweet wine. His was a clean smell dabbled with sweat. She inhaled, feeling as though he were right in front of her, ready to hug her.

"Rey?"

His voice was clear, though she heard it from inside her ears outward rather than the opposite.

"Finn," She whispered, "Come home. You can jump now. Come home."

Her core heated quickly, the warmth stretching over her clenched fingers until she flexed them. He was talking to her, but he couldn't get the words across the galaxy like she could.

Another feeling came to her. A cool, misshapen mass that brought to her mind cloudy day hovering over a rushing river beside a meadow, tumbling over rocks and teeming with hidden life.

"Ben," She whispered.

Her eyes had to open to determine he wasn't really in front of her, kissing her. So powerful was his presence upon her lips that she was tempted to touch her face, but held back, catching Kaydel's quick gaze to her.

"I'm coming to you, Rey," Ben's voice whispered, the position of such words in her ears reminding her of when he lifted his upper body with his arms whilst on top of her, his kisses on her neck.

Rey couldn't stop the blush from erupting on her cheeks. She sent to him the feel of her teeth upon her lower lip, "I'll be here."

A hand touched her shoulder and Rey's focus tore from her husband to Kaydel.

"Sorry," Rey said immediately.

Kaydel shook her head and lifted a headset to her, "It's Poe, he wants to talk."

Rey took the lightweight headset and turned to where Kaydel jutted her chin. If Ben were here, he would tell her to remain calm, to not say anything she might regret. She inhaled and donned the headset whilst making sure there weren't any droids following her.

"This is Captain Kenobi-Solo," She began.

"Rey, can you call Finn?" Poe's voice asked, his voice tense.

"I already did. They should be on their way if ther-"

"Oh, there they go!" Poe exclaimed. "Give me a second, Rey."

Rey waited, admiring the private corner outside of the command bridge. Someone had placed a pillow on the only available sitting surface, and there was even a wrapper from a food pack. So, this is where the Watchers go, Rey thought.

"Alright, I've jumped to lightspeed," Poe told her. "Rey, I wanted to talk to you about separating the Jedi from the Resistance."

Cool slithered through Rey's body, but she swallowed it from bursting from her lips. "Go ahead," She told him.

"We are not separating from you," He replied, stressing each word. "It's just him we don't trust."

She couldn't stop the cold if she wanted to. " _He_ is my husband,"

"I know that-"

Rey continued as though he weren't speaking, " _He_ came to the Resistance of his own volition. _He_ trained two of your best fighters in the ways of the Jedi. But I do agree with you, Poe."

Silence echoed on the other end. "With what?"

"The New Jedi Order cannot function as a branch of the Resistance. As soon as we are able, we will find a suitable home to train students. You won't have to put up with us for much longer, I can promise you that."

The silence was deafening. From this distance, Rey could detect a hint of agony. "If that is what you want…" He trailed off, then added, "I am sorry for how things turned out, Rey."

"You can't control everything," She said quickly, blinking away the stabbing in her eyes. "You can always call upon us for help."

"I'll keep that in mind," He said. "Coming up on the _Ikher Dawn_ , see you in a bit."

SWSWSW

 _Sidious_

Hux watched the tunnel of blue and white whir passed his face, though he couldn't see it to save his life. It had been a while, but it was long overdue that he hissed fuming hatred for Ren and the Resistance. They had been annoying (and worrying though he wouldn't admit it aloud) when they had been taking pivotal ships, but now that Ren had resurfaced now of all times, that was particularly disturbing.

"Sir," Colonel Cutter's voice called.

"What?!" Hux yelled, whirling on his heels. "What is it?"

"We've tracked the _Tarpeian,_ " Colonel Cutter told him. "We can launch an assault whenever you're ready, sir."

"Take your time," Hux sneered. "This time I want them completely wiped out! From the pilots to the droids, I want the Resistance obliterated!"


	27. Chapter 27

_Merry Christmas!_

Chapter 27

 _Ikher Dawn_

Rey awaited in the main hangar as the _Raven Starr_ docked alongside three transport ships from the _Tarpeian._ In one of the windows of the transports, Rose's face appeared followed by Finn's forehead over her shoulder. Rey laughed to herself as the two heads rushed to the lowering ramp and Finn nearly plowed over two unhelmeted Stormtroopers to get to Rey, almost dragging Rose with him.

"Rey!" He cried.

"Boy are we glad to see you!" Rose called.

Rey flinched forward once, but turned her attention to the _Raven Starr_ where Ben was emerging. She turned back to them and issued a quick, "You're alive!" before moving towards Ben.

At once, the clamor of the new rebels ceased as Rey nearly skipped into Ben's arms, throwing her own around his neck and resting her forehead against his shoulder.

"I'll have to get used to this," She whispered to him.

"I probably won't," He whispered back, rubbing her spine. Suddenly, his grip tightened and he whispered, "Watch your back."

She slid her arms down his chest, feeling the Force as she did so. The atmosphere had turned almost hostile. "Kiss me," She commanded. "Let them stew."

He obeyed, swooping down and covering her face with his hair. She smiled as soon as he pulled away, watching his eyes shift from honey to chocolate as they glittered over her.

"What is he doing here?" A voice demanded loudly.

Rey couldn't stop her head from turning around to see a female Stormtrooper with long black hair pulled into a ponytail that slung over her shoulder glare at them, a cluster of other Stormtroopers gathered around her.

"He's one them!" She screamed, pointing and looking at Finn. "He should be killed for what he's done!"

Rey tensed her hand on Ben's chest, but it flexed the moment she felt the heat from his lightsaber warm her knee.

"You want to be first?" He asked, his deep monotone echoing in the hangar.

All of them, simultaneously, took a step back.

Finn and Rose stepped around them, (Finn shot the female a sort of knowing look), and knelt before Ben, prompting him to release Rey so that he could tilt his chin at them whilst Rey bowed slightly at the waist.

"You did well," He told them, straightening. "You stuck to your training, and succeeded in your mission."

Finn and Rose looked up, genuine smiles blooming.

"But the task is going to only get harder," He continued. "You can guarantee that. So take an hour and settle yourselves and what business has grown in your absence, then meet us on the _Falcon_."

"Yes, Master," They said in unison.

Rose made a soft noise, prompting Ben's gaze to turn to her. "Is that a new lightsaber on Rey's hip?"

Rey turned to Ben who smirked at her. She stepped forward and, quick as a flash, ripped her lightsabers from her hips, connected them, and twirled the complete staff on either side of her, much to the delight of everyone present in the hangar.

"Woah!" Finn cried, his eyes dancing. "When do we get one?" He asked gesturing to Rose.

"When you earn them," Ben told them, his eyes on his wife as she set her staff on her side, the lighted fury purring beside her.

"Heads up, kids!" Poe's voice shouted, his gaze immediately finding Rey's ivory staff. She turned it off, allowing the people to turn to him. "Just got word from the command bridge. The First Order's scrambling a massive fleet together. So, do what you need to do, then I want all commanders… and Jedi," He shot a glance to Rey, "At command in half an hour."

SWSWSW

Rey stood beside Ben, her arm wrapped around his waist and vice versa, listening to the chatter of everyone present. There was a tense murmur throughout the room with the fifty commanders swaying nervously. At her shoulder was Finn, and at Ben's was Rose, the four of them standing firmly without speaking, feeling the Force for what could possibly be happening.

"Commander on deck!" Someone shouted, instantly silencing the mob as Poe and two admirals stepped through the throng. Poe reached out for Kaydel, holding her hand as he passed as though she were the only reason he entered the room. Rey swallowed, realizing she wore the gold and diamond wedding ring that Poe used to wear as a necklace. When did that happen, She thought.

Poe released her hand and stepped around a holotable. "Good afternoon," He called.

"Good afternoon," The room -save the Jedi- responded.

"Alright, let's get down to it," Poe sighed. "The First Order isn't messing around this time. They've mobilized their biggest dreadnoughts and bombers, destination: here," He tapped the holotable and showed them no less than twenty blue dreadnoughts surrounded by upright bombing ships and countless TIE fighters.

"We can fly around them," Admiral Ndian told them. "But, we face a greater threat of losing the _Ikher Dawn_ in the process."

"It seems like a last push," Poe added, stepping around the table to directly address the Resistance. "The trap, this assembly, the fact that they haven't jumped on us yet even though it's very likely that they know we're here. It feels like they are getting ready to try and wipe us out once and for all."

"They can try!" A voice called out from the crowd that earned a few cries of support.

"Shadow games," Ben grumbled, though only Rey heard him.

"So long as there is the First Order, there will always be Resistance!" Someone else shouted.

"All valid points guys," Finn told them, turning their eyes to him. "But it means nothing if there isn't a fighting force to counter them. This here," He pointed to the assembly of enemy ships. "This means something. It means we've gotten to them where it hurts, where they are tired of dealing with us. If they don't hit fast, they will hit hard, and we've got to weather the storm."

"That's the point," The other admiral whom Rey had never seen before sighed, her hands sliding into the pockets of her trousers. "We don't have the strength to fight. We've numbers, yes, but they are spread thinly. If the First Order breaks our flanks, then the chances of the organized Resistance are slim to none."

Silence fell upon the crowd, with worried faces exchanging nervous glances.

"What do the Jedi have to say?" Kaydel asked.

All eyes turned on Rey and Ben. She could feel him inhale deeply before tapping her side twice and dropped his arm prompting her to drop hers. He stepped forward, eyes scrutinizing the holotable.

"Is that the _Sidious?_ " He asked, pointing to the biggest dreadnought.

Poe tapped the image, bringing a small square above the top cannons that he quickly read. "Yeah, that's the _Sidious._ Why?"

"That's the Command Ship, _Hux's_ Command Ship," Ben told them. "Blow that one up, you lose communication to the other ships and the First Order itself. Individual Resistance pockets can attack at will without punishment."

"And, how exactly do we do that?" Admiral Ndian asked. "We will need every spare pilot we can use."

Rey knew the answer before Ben could open his lips.

"We'll take care of that," She told them.

"You guys?" Poe asked, "The four of you?" His eyes found Finn and Rose and their lack of lightsabers.

Ben looked back at Rey, and she shivered. "We won't be alone," She continued, staring at her husband, willing him to be right about this.

SWSWSW

The Knights of Ren moved in a single file off their ship, _Faceless_ , masks drawn and their cloaks billowing freely about their ankles in the exhaust gusts so that they looked like black sand demons, their heavy looking weaponry glinting off the hangar lights. At once they fanned out, the six main knights up front and two apprentices behind their masters, their presence halting all movement in the hangar as they moved, an eight person omen that was as dangerous as it was mysterious.

Rey could not control her feelings as she watched them approach. Of all the things she wanted, these creatures were the very last thing! She scanned their masks, naming their presences as her eyes absorbed the sight of them. She wouldn't dignify Koita Mathe with his own name, though if he read her thoughts he would know his name to be one of a dung beetle. Rose moved beside her, her presence oozing calm to Rey.

"You hate them?" Rose asked.

"We have to work with them," Rey answered, her voice scraping a slight growl.

"What will they do to Master Ren?" She asked, looking at Rey.

Fear snaked it's way through Rey's body. "I don't know," She breathed. "He's grown so much. I'm afraid…" She trailed off, unable to speak the words.

A soft nudge brought Rey's attention to her friend, "Hey," Rose told her, "If he loves you, really loves you, then what they say won't matter."

Rey smiled at her, doing her best to conceal the fact that these men were not of many words, but of many, many deeds. What they would do to Ben worried her far more than what they said. Lightsabers left as deep burns as words across the heart, and lightsabers were made to kill.

They halted six feet from Ben and knelt in perfect reverence before him, all on one knee with their right hands resting on their kneecap, chins against their collarbones. Ben's feelings flashed conflict, the same conflicted spirit that had been there when he had killed Snoke. As Rey stepped forward to stand at his flank, she wanted to send them away to the nearest sun-star, but swallowed and forced herself to remain calm, following Ben's simple bow at the waist with a deeper one.

"Brothers," Ben commanded, straightening. "Welcome to the Resistance."

She could feel their snigger so strongly she almost heard it. It was a clever joke, after all. They who had pursued and tortured members of the Resistance for so long were now in it's walls, ready to join it's flanks.

"Rise," Ben told them, "Remove your masks, show them there's nothing to be afraid of."

This time, it was Rose's and Finn's turn to be intimidated. They felt as she did so long ago when she had been captured on Takodana and held by Ben to be interrogated. He had revealed himself to be so handsome, yet so completely dangerous. What had been the most dangerous bit about that time? It hadn't been his use of the Force, or his strength, though both were astoundingly formidable. No, it had been the fact that he had looked perfectly ordinary, someone she would have admired from a distance, if not made attempts to speak to.

And Koita Mathe looked heartbreakingly ordinary.

Rey turned to Rose, watching her lean away before turning away, her cheeks reddening as she did so. The moment Rose moved, Koita Mathe's eyes found her, thoroughly sweeping her body from head to toe. Rey turned back to him, noting that his gaze paused at her waist, the traditional spot for carrying lightsabers, and a line of confusion appeared between his brows. Rey pinched her side; anything from thinking the truth.

Ben hadn't given them lightsabers because the Knights of Ren would see them as threats. Without them, they could simply be Rey's tagalong friends.

"Come on," Ben commanded, turning towards Rey. "Strategy time."

They said nothing, and did nothing but kick their legs forward and move, in perfect unison, towards the command bridge. Even Koita Mathe behaved and kept his tentacles of the Force away from Rey and Ben, (though Rey had a sinking suspicion that he was feeling for other people he could use, he had an entire ship after all).

The command bridge halted all movement the moment they saw the figures in black file in behind Ben, the feeling of fear swelling as they settled themselves.

As one, they turned to Poe Dameron, eyeing the blaster in his hand that had been switched to lethal.

"Rey," Poe breathed, glaring at them, "Can we trust the knights here present with our lives and our cause?"

Rey leaned back, her heart pounding at the question. This hadn't been discussed, either with him or with her husband. Fraja turned to look at Rey, Serotti, Brunfar, and Koita Mathe doing likewise.

"Yes," She told Poe. "They'll behave… if we live up to any promises given to them."

One by one, they turned their attentions back to Poe, the feeling of satisfaction creeping from them.

Poe lifted his chin, and flicked his eyes to Fraja. "We're not giving you anything. You answer to Kylo Ren and he's willing to help us, even if that means taking orders from us, got it?"

None of the knights moved, save for Fraja who barely turned to make eye contact with Ben. Ben gave a slight nod, only one dip of the chin, to which made Fraja turn and nod to Poe.

"Alright, then," Poe breathed, his stature still firm. "We have a task for you, taking down the _Sidious_ , eliminating Hux, and completely dismantling the First Order. Sound up for the task?"

Fraja merely cocked his head and lifted his eyebrow. The other knights said and did nothing.

"Do you guys talk at all?" Poe asked, lifting his own eyebrow.

"Yes," They said in unison.

"They speak when there's something worth saying," Ben told Poe.

Rey had to think of something, anything, to keep from snorting. They weren't speaking because it simply looked cooler to be so uniform as to let only one person speak for them. Or, because they wanted to hear what Ben would say for them.

"Alright, that's not creepy at all." Poe muttered, holstering his blaster. He turned to the holotable and turned it on, showing the same display as he had earlier, only this time more ships had been added.

"This is what we're dealing with," Poe told them, eyeing Ben as he moved forward, scanning the different ships. "This is the mass of ships formed against us." He opened his lips to say more, but Ben had lifted his hand, cutting him off.

He turned to the knights and asked, "Suggestions?"

At once, Koita Mathe stepped forward and pointed to a smaller, significantly less impressive ship floating up to the _Sidious_.

Ben nodded slowly. "Perfect," He breathed. He turned to him, "Go get it."

Without another word, Koita Mathe bowed low, straightened, turned his heel so quickly his cloak rotated around him, and headed out followed closely by his red-headed apprentice.

"You care to explain?" Poe asked, eyebrow almost hidden in his dark hair.

"Service cruiser," Ben told him, pointing to the small ship. "They will come to the _Sidious_ non-stop."

"Why?" Poe asked. "Can't they just upload stuff?"

From behind Fraja, a giggle reverberated through the room. Romtao stepped forward, his grin as wide as it was wicked.

"I'll be needing a server," He smiled.

SWSWSW

"Is he actually doing something or is he just hitting keys?" Rose asked, leaning close to Finn.

"I honestly have no idea," He whispered back.

The Knight, one Rey had called Romtao, had started working before his bottom hit the seat. His fingers worked faster than anything they had seen, crawling up and down the keyboard, highlighting and dismissing code like some insects dug through dirt.

Alarms began blaring, slowing him a fraction as he looked up at the scarlet holoscreen then began working again.

"You break it, you buy it," Master Ren's monotone chided.

Romtao flashed a grin, tapping away until it disappeared.

Finn turned back to the Knights of Ren. They hadn't really moved, they just stood at parade rest, watching almost lazily as their comrade worked.

"Got it," Romtao announced, still tapping. "Their files are corrupted. Not enough to notice a hack, but enough to demand for hard copy files." He lifted his hands, eyes twitching over the screens as though a monster face was going to emerge from them. He jumped up, and faced Master Ren. "All done, my master."

"How much time until they come?" Master Ren asked, looking down at the Knight from his nose.

"I bought us a day at most, master." Romtao declared in much the same tone as announcing what was for lunch at the mess hall.

At once, the leaders of the Resistance flinched to life. "A day?" Senator-General Farea breathed.

Romtao turned to him, his face upturned into one of textbook sarcasm. "Ugh, yeah."

Suddenly he flinched straight, a hand clapping his forehead. He turned back to Master Ren and bowed low at the waist. "Apologies, Master." He crooned, his skin turning a shade of purplish grey before normal white.

Master Ren stared him down, the atmosphere in the room thickening in the seconds of silence that passed between them. He flicked his eyes to Poe and parted his lips.

"Need us for anything?"

Poe shook his head, "I'll let you guys know."

Wordless, the Knights of Ren filed out of the Command Bridge, Romtao bringing up the tail after Master Ren jerked his head at them.

Her presence on the Command Bridge floor was like a moon beam slithering through a window. She slipped between Master Ren and Poe, bringing the attention to her for a moment, held it as she kissed his hand, then released it like a held breath as she guided her husband away from the Resistance Leaders.

Rose watched Rey glide, almost gracefully, as they left. She could feel the sneer coming and swallowed it. She didn't want such attention, didn't know what to do with it even if she did want it. She exhaled, and turned to Finn, fully expecting him to be in mourning of her affection for someone other than him.

But he wasn't. Instead, he was looking at _her_ , and smiled when she faced him.

"Let's go for a walk," He suggested, his hand covering hers.

Don't be an idiot, Rose commanded herself as she let him pull her. Don't be an idiot!

They walked, moving towards one of the many observation decks built onto the _Ikher_ portion of the ship. Thousands of glittering stars, spirals of galaxies and divots of nebulae against the black space. This particular observation deck had been known as the "Lovers' Look" after the amount of couples found around these parts… not that she would keep note of that. Of course.

"Where are we going?" Rose asked, tightening her grip slightly as though he would run off at any moment.

"Just here," He told her, looking down at her with a smile. "It's not like we have too many other places."

"Right," She guffawed pathetically, shoving a piece of hair behind her ear.

They reached the main observation window, the sight of it making Rose's heart skip a beat. It was nothing spectacular, save the view. It was his feelings that made her shiver. His feelings exploded when he turned this corner, jittering all around like a firecracker.

She turned around and faced him, making him stop in his tracks. "What's up?" She asked. Seriously, she demanded of herself, That's the best you got?

He sputtered before her, a cute halt and go, halt and go, before he inhaled, rising his shoulders.

"I want you to marry me."

If Rose were a computer, she would have crashed from overload of wish fulfillment. She might as well have been from how her bottom lip dropped, then smacked shut, and dropped again.

"Wut?"

He exhaled, his shoulders dropping. He took her hands, rubbing his thumbs over her knuckles. "I… want, you to marry me."

Her heart hammered against her chest, and she felt the corners of her mouth turn upwards at the thought of being married. But, she stomped on the feeling just enough to ask, "Why? Why now?"

He hesitated, eyes searching her face for sincerity. He moved his hands to her upper arms and he looked down, and swallowed. "I'm tired of looking for someone to love me back," He confessed. "Rey… hell, even Poe." He looked back to her, the truth seeming to age him five years. "You've loved me in spite of everything, and I… I'm just seeing it come to light."

"What did it?" Rose asked, her hands fluttering up to rest against his chest.

"It was Hope," He told her. "Seeing her admire me. It felt… wrong. You did that but, it wasn't you. That doesn't mean I want you for- what I'm trying to say is…" He dropped his hands and rolled his eyes in exasperation, but Rose pulled him back with a gentle tug on his robe.

"I love you, Finn," She told him, a tear sliding down her cheek. "And yes, I'll marry you. Just… not today." Now she inhaled, and blurted quickly, "I want to be courted by you. I want," She giggled, "Flowers. And long walks. And…" She looked around to see if anyone was near before whispering, "Sex?"

He spewed an embarrassed, breathy laugh and he smiled. "Okay. If that's what you want."

"It is," Rose grinned. "I want to fall even more in love with you than I already am. Even through Jedi training."

Finn hesitated, his smile freezing on his face. "Rose, we… don't have to go back. We can find a place of our own, start a family."

Panic started to rise in her chest, but she swallowed it. "I want my lightsaber," She told him. "After all the hell Master Ren has put us through, I want my stupid lightsaber!" She gave a small laugh that almost seemed futile in the wake of his disappointed face. "And once we're Jedi, we won't have to answer immediately to them. They're never going to leave our lives completely, but they won't have direct control over us."

He regarded her, smiling slowly as though allowing himself to become convinced.

"You'd like your own lightsaber, right?" She asked, a hole the size of a peach opening up in the pit of her stomach.

"I would," He admitted, scratching his forehead. "Can't argue against that." He looked at her suddenly, and touched her arms once more, "We'd be our own people," He grinned. "Free and clear."

"Free and clear," She repeated, losing herself in his warm eyes, savoring how they came closer and closer, until she had to close them and just… feel.

 _Please Review!_


	28. Chapter 28

_Merry Christmas!_

Chapter 28

 _Sidious_

Hux washed his face, savoring the cold water over his eyelids. Blindly, he grabbed a towel and mopped it over his features, his eyes spotting the gleaming platinum ring etched with the ebony symbol of his household. He wanted to be with Veela, wanted to see her grow fat with his baby, but he knew that she would not survive another miscarriage if it was brought on by her anxiety.

He tossed the towel onto the sink and slipped the ring onto his finger. There will be plenty of time to be a father, He told himself, Especially with Ren and the Resistance gone.

His commlink beeped, prompting a disgusted exhale before touching it.

"Supreme Leader, we are ready to launch on your orders, sir," Colonel Cutter announced.

A smile touched his lips, and he turned it off. Finally, He thought, It ends today.

SWSWSW

 _Ikher Dawn_

Rey sat on the edge of the bed, watching Ben as he slept. His hand was pressed against his forehead, and the blanket was positioned just so so that if anyone should come into the sleeping quarters of the _Millennium Falcon_ , they wouldn't be surprised. She couldn't fathom why anyone would want to come in, what with the two Knights of Ren positioned outside the entry ramp.

She pulled her robe around her shoulders, and exhaled. Every instinct she had insisted she go to the Med Core. Something wasn't right, there had been a change. An inward change she couldn't describe. The worst part was she couldn't tell if it was the Force or if it was her own body. She could _barely_ remember when the bleeding between her legs came, how frightened she was of it happening each month until she, well, didn't die of blood loss and so got used to it. Rey stood and donned her trousers, (noting that her blood hadn't come again). She paused, the ties slipping between her fingers.

What if the lack of her blood meant that she was…

Ben's breathing changed, and his hand moved away from his face. "Hey," He gurgled, "What's wrong?"

Rey swallowed and looked back to him, "Nothing's wrong, Ben."

He sat up, the muscles on his chest tightening for a moment. "Liar," He smirked. He crawled to her and pulled her back onto the bed so that she could feel his muscles around her, and smell the salt upon his body. "I can always tell when you're lying."

She turned to look at him, their noses brushing. "If I tell the truth," She breathed, watching his eyes flicker between chocolate to honey, "Then what's to stop the other knights from hearing me?"

He froze, his eyes hardening for a moment, before he leaned in and kissed her. What she would have given to have lain back down with him. Such a longing tightened in her chest that she turned her body, and tilted her head, pushing her fingers through his messy black hair, willing him to lay her down against the bedding.

He pulled away, resting his hand against her shoulder to stop her from coming forward with another kiss. His eyes glittered once again and he pushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"We're going to be okay, baby," He whispered. "I promise. I'll take care of us."

His words, and his smell, brought to her mind once more a cold river in a forest. Always constant, teeming with life beyond what could be seen. Rey rested her head on his shoulder, and inhaled deeply his natural smell, seeing a house nestled in trees, covered in moss and ferns… and a little boy. One with brown hair, and deep, mysterious chocolate brown eyes. He ran from swinging bridge to swinging bridge… a lightsaber attached to his side. He ran towards her, his smile one of mischief. She knew that smile.

"Mother."

She sat up straight, a sore pressing into her stomach as the boy's voice clamoured in her ears.

"Did you see him?" Ben breathed, his voice unsteady.

"Yeah," Rey gasped, pressing a hand to her stomach and looking at him. His chest was heaving, and he swallowed hard.

"Rey, is…?" He looked to the side, the words failing against his lips.

The sound of footsteps along the interior of the _Millennium Falcon_ caused her lips to smack shut and for Ben to grab the blanket and rest it over his legs.

"Kylo," Fraja's voice called out. "Transport is inbound."

At once, Ben's hands touched her waist. "We'll be out in a moment, Fraja."

"Yes, Supreme Leader," Fraja replied. His boots resounded in receding order until silence once again echoed around them.

"Ben," Rey breathed, feeling the sore in her stomach ebb and flow. "Ben, promise me, when we live… away from here," She turned to him, her eyes holding him, "Promise me that when the time comes, you'll stay away from those men. You will leave them and they will have nothing to do with us or our family in future. Promise me, Ben."

He looked at her, his eyes hardening for a moment. "I already did, Rey."

SW

 _Ikher Dawn_

Rey watched as the transport ship entered the hangar with smooth precision. Ben had explained earlier that the ship was to be piloted by Rana, Koita Mathe's daughter/apprentice so that there could be an experienced sword opening the doors of the _Sidious._ Almost as soon as it came into the hangar, however, something felt… wrong.

"Do you feel that?" Finn asked Rey and Ben as soon as he came near to them.

"Yeah," Ben answered, frowning at the transport ship.

Rey opened her mouth to speak when the loading ramp all but fell open, emitting a single Stormtrooper with his blaster raised. At once, Ben was in front of Rey, and the Knights of Ren appeared between the parked ships.

The Stormtrooper, an officer, shouldered his blaster and shouted, "In the name of the First Order, I command you surrender!"

It was bold, Rey had to give him that, and quite amusing, but what smiles were cracked at this ridiculously serious officer's command, immediately faded.

A whistle, playful and quick, brought the knights forward as if it were some type of code to do precisely what the whistle intended: play.

"Drop your weapons!" The Stormtrooper screamed, watching as the knights removed their lightsabers and, rather than ignite them, twirled them as though they were insignificant toys, brought along in case of an impromptu stickball game.

They circled him, watching his panic grow as they moved in orbit according to his own desire. Each precise step bringing the knight closer to the prey.

"What are they going to do?" Rose asked Ben, her eyes barely leaving the scene.

Ben said nothing, he only watched them with an intense curiosity, eyes flicking to and fro from one black clad figure to another with only slight movement from his head. Rey looked over his shoulder at the knights, to her husband, admiring his intense stare. These figures, these… _spirits_ , were like drugs to him. They would pull him into their world of intense baiting and intimidation like they did before. Like they had been designed to do.

A shot blasted across the hanger followed swiftly by a clatter, the Stormtrooper's blaster skidding to a halt only because Ben lifted his boot and stopped it: a tribute.

At once, Maa'qui leapt forward and jabbed the Stormtrooper's back before leaping back again, the Stormtrooper letting out a yelp. Then Serotti stepped forward with a gleaming obsidian knife and slashed it across the Stormtrooper's breastplate, leaving upon it a wicked scar that brought the poor man's attention back around. Brunfar was the first to ignite his lightsaber, coming forth and slicing the Stormtrooper's calves with a disturbing _kerr!_

"Ben!" Rey hissed, touching his waist. He turned back to her, his fascination melting the moment he moved.

He faced forward, and gave a low whistle, catching Fraja's attention. He must have flicked his eyes towards the Stormtrooper, because he didn't move any further but Fraja moved forward and withdrew his lightsaber, making a noise in the back of his throat as he neared the kneeling Stormtrooper. Rey closed her eyes when the lightsaber fell, hearing the plastic _thunk_ of the poor' man's head as it separated from his body.

"These guys are monsters," Rose breathed, her horrified words drawing Rey's eyes open.

The hangar stood in shocked silence, watching the knights clip their lightsabers back to their sides as casually as heading to the mess hall. Rey peeked over Ben's shoulder, seeing the bloodless body of the decapitated Stormtrooper, the smell of cooked meat disturbing her. At once, Romtao and Brunfar stepped forward, took the hands and feet, and dragged the body to the plasma screened hangar entrance and tossed the trooper out, Serrotti following them with the head.

Ben said nothing. He only turned full around to face Rey and swallowed. "I'm… sorry." He breathed, loud enough for only her to hear. Or so he thought.

The knights whirled on him, a tense silence descending upon those within the hangar. A chill breeze ruffled through those present as Finn took a step forward, followed by Rose.

The sore in Rey's stomach pressed again, but she did her best to ignore it. "I forgive you, Ben." She breathed.

He was sorry, she knew that. Not for killing the Stormtrooper, that had to be done lest he start taking out their own soldiers. But, Ben's intrigue in his death. His allowance of such a gruesome thing to be made into such play, therein lied his regret and for that, he begged forgiveness. And in spite of those who felt nothing for the loss of a soldier and the manner of his disposal, Rey gave her forgiveness.

That did not mean that they were at all happy with their First Couple. Ben however, couldn't care less. He called over his shoulder, "Don't we have a ship, now?"

At once, the knights moved onto the transport ship, ready for the task ahead.

Ben turned to Finn and Rose, his look drawing them near. When he spoke, his voice was low, lower than they had ever heard it.

"There is a very big chance, this will all go to hell," He said, "When it does, you fight with everything you've got, including the Force. They don't know you guys or your fighting style, but they can guess. When it happens, you fight to kill. They won't forgive, and they certainly won't forget. Survivors will only do so to come back with a vengeance."

"You think it'll come to that?" Rey asked, her hands floating to her stomach.

He looked at her, and touched her elbows. "Better you be prepared than surprised."

Overhead, alarms began wailing in slow, agonizing, burps.

"Into the transport," Ben commanded, taking hold of Rey's forearm as the thunderous clapping of feet stampeded towards the hangar.

Rey watched as pilots rushed into the hangar, BB-8 leading the charge ahead of Poe Dameron who called out to them as soon as he saw Rey.

"Go!" He shouted as he neared. "Keep in contact as much as you can! Take BB-8 with you!"

"How far out are they?" Rey asked, stepping aside to let the droid roll in beside her.

"About five minutes. They can't see you!"

SWSWSW

 _Sidious_

Hux marched into the Command Bridge, Colonel Cutter and Admiral Craig on either heel. "Status?" Hux barked.

"Sir, we're coming up on the Rebel fleet now!" A lieutenant answered. "They've been made aware of our presence and appear to be… gah!"

Hux turned his attention to the lieutenant who was busy typing firmly on his screen.

"They've been doing that, sir," Colonel Cutter told him before Hux could speak. "Request permission to deliver new hard drives?"

Hux whirled around, "Hard drives?"

"A security caution, sir, one of Ren's insistences. Each computer runs on individual hard drives synced to perform uniformly. It was to prevent mass hacking, sir."

"And what is this?" Hux demanded.

"Off the main frame network, sir." Admiral Craig told him. "It would be better to cut it off completely for the sake of this mission."

"Be advised, sir," Colonel Cutter warned, looking from one man to the other, "If we cut off from the main frame network, we will leave the entire First Order's empire isolated for however long it takes to get back online."

"Do it," Hux commanded, "The First Order can survive in the quiet for an hour or two."

SWSWSW

 _Transport KJ316_

 _Hyperspace_

Ben held Rey's hand as the ship cut through hyperspace, his grip tight as though at any moment, she would disappear. Rey didn't mind. She wanted to hold on to him, grasp the kind man that she had come to know for a moment more before the monsters they flew with perverted that image once more.

"We've got the call!" Rana called over her shoulder. It was the first time Rey had heard her speak. She half expected her to stammer, to be as uncertain of her words as she was in her place next to her stepfather. The other half was surprised that she could speak at all.

"How long have you been with Koita Mathe?" Rey asked her, seeing BB-8 twitch towards the girl as well.

She hesitated, the slightest of gasps emitting from her throat. Then, she answered in a lower tone, "Since I was taken, Empress."

"Taken from where?" Rey asked.

Again, the girl froze. It was as though she was unused to speaking about herself. Or even speaking. There wasn't much need if her stepfather was such a talent of mindreading in the Force.

"From the bloody bag, Empress," She said at last. "That's all I can remember until I got my lightsaber."

She spoke with such a finality that Rey didn't ask any more questions. She looked back at Ben, and lifted her eyebrows. He looked Rana, then leaned close to Rey, "It's his thing. He raises the orphans he makes. She's his favorite."

"What's the plan?" Finn asked, BB-8 rolling between him and Rey's knees. "If we show up without the hard copies, they'll know something's up. Even with an army, they can cut us off from the Command Center."

"And gas us," Fraja added, stroking his chin, "Let's not forget that."

"Someone needs to go to Command ahead of us," Serotti told them. "In case they call to send more troops to fight. Your thin forces can only take so much."

"Split up, then," Rose suggested. "Half of us go to Command, the other takes out the ship."

"Blow up the ship?" Romtao piped, "Seems a bit… cliché."

"You have something better?" Ben asked, lifting his chin to him.

He puckered his bottom lip, and shrugged as though the answer was so simple. "The _Sidious_ is a mobile capitol, much like the _Supremacy_. We eliminate their Command, including Hux, as quietly as possible, you turn the First Order from an empire to outposts with individual sovereignty. The only communicator would be that ship. Imagine having the First Order's roaches come out of hiding to meet the exterminator?"

Everyone turned to Ben and Rey in wait. Rey inhaled, "Someone will have to go directly to Command. Someone they wouldn't kill on sight but would go straight to Hux."

Ben stopped breathing for a moment, his fingers curling tighter around her hand. "You better be safe," He growled.

SWSWSW

Poe reread the instructions on his dash, and shook his head. "Beebee Ate, you tell 'em from me they're out of their minds!"

Beneath the instructions, a second message appeared that read: I think they already know that, Poe.

He cocked his head to the side and raised his eyebrows. "No arguments there," He muttered. Quickly, he dialed in the coordinates to the _Sidious_ , and cleared his throat. "This is Commander Dameron of the Resistance Fleet with an urgent message for Supreme Leader Hux."

He waited, watching with one eye the small screen that showed how many pilots were on his flanks, and another on the black horizon ahead of him, dotted with dreadnoughts and stars.

"Roger, Commander Dameron," A voice on his commlink answered, "Your pleas will not be heard at this time."

Poe turned to his instructions. "Yeah, I really need to speak to Supreme Leader Hugs, if you please."

"Commander Dameron," The voice said firmly, "We will not be taking messages from you or your pathetic rabble. Over and out."

"Alright, but it's more of an F. Y. I., message. Your hard drives were intercepted and are in the hands of a Jedi Knight."

There was dead silence on the other end of the commlink, leaving Poe to wonder with beads of sweat forming on the back of his neck if they heard him or not.

"This is Hux. How did you know about our hard drives?"

It was him alright. Poe grinned. "Jedi sixth sense, y'know? Kinda creepy and cool at the same time."

"The Jedi do not exist!" Hux's voice snarled.

"Yeah, tell her that."

More silence. Then, "Her?"

"Yep! You know the one. She's going to you, and there's nothing we can do about it."

"What does she want?"

"To negotiate. Hear her out and she'll give you your hard drives."

"You know it's futile. We have the superior fleet; we will crush you like the insects that you are with the greatest prejudice!"

"Yeah, dude, you're going to have to get better insults. You used that last time."

"Wha- I did not!"

"Yeah, you did." Poe grinned.

Pause, "No, I distinctly remember that I didn't – you're tooling with me!"

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are!"

"No, I'm not."

" _Yes_ , you…" Pause. "I will cut off that girl's head myself and send it back to you!" _Click_.

"That, I would pay to see," Poe muttered. He pushed a button and said clearly, "Heads up, Rebels! Hell can open up at any second."

SWSWSW

 _Sidious_

Hux seethed, stalking back and forth as the girl's small escape pod floated towards them, just as it had on that fateful day when Hux had been murdered. She had gall, he had to admit, though he was less than enthused to be seeing her again considering she almost killed him in their last encounter with her wretched sorcery. But, they needed those hard drives. And the Rebels were desperate enough to try negotiation instead of outright fighting, willing to send Ren's only balm straight into the enemy camp. Such was a welcoming thought, to have all the cards come to him rather than he to them.

The escape pod floated to a halt on the hangar floor, the exhaust from it's small propelling engine hissing around it. At once, the Stormtroopers pointed their weapons at it, giving Hux some sense of calm at the sight of the stupid girl pushing open the lid of the transport and sitting up.

Hux's first thought was that she appeared to be fatter, especially around the face. She was still rail-thin, but at least now she had less bones on her cheeks, making them perfect for slapping. Hux's second thought, much to his displeasure and ever increasing anxiety, was that there was a second passenger in the transport with her, the other stupid girl who was nearly executed upon the _Supremacy_ the last time he saw her.

At once, these girls lifted their hands in surrender, watching as the Stormtroopers neared them, blasters drawn. Hux didn't move an inch until they were searched, lightsaber taken, and Ren's Girl was safely in manacles secured behind her.

"Where are the hard drives?" Hux demanded, glaring at the Execution Girl, feeling the disgust he felt for the Resistance like an annoying glop of mud upon his boot.

"We've come to negotiate a truce," Ren's Girl told him.

"Where," Hux growled slowly, "Are the hard drives?"

Execution Girl simply looked at him, and grinned placidly, before holding up a small info stick. "Right here," She said simply.

Hux leaned away, looking from one girl to the other. "What's the catch?"

"We want you to leave all systems west of the Courescant-Dantooine line to the Resistance." Ren's Girl told him, a slight pout on her features.

Hux almost laughed. "Now I know you're mad!"

"I'm being quite serious, general," Ren's Girl retorted, her face as calm as ever. "You will have the greater half of the galaxy, and we will have an independent republic."

"Republic!" Hux spat, and turned his heel to pace around these pathetic girls. "What is a Republic? What is a _Jedi_? Your people voted away their right to an independent republic when my father was a boy. They cannot hold on to a cluster of ships, and you want us to set you 'free'?" He chuckled as his boots clicked against the clean floor. "I don't know whether to admire your spirit or pity you, you pathetic creature. No wonder Ren pined after you."

Her face remained calm, though Hux knew she had to strongly dislike his words about her man.

"If that is your answer," She said slowly, "Then we will have no choice but to take the entire galaxy from you."

Enough. Hux looked over his shoulder and nodded, sending a Stormtrooper for the Execution Detail. "And how, pray, are you going to accomplish that whilst headless?"

The Stormtroopers marched with perfect steps, each carrying a firy red laser axe that purred uncomfortably.

"Well," Ren's Girl grinned, "For starters, you haven't noticed that the battle's begun outside," She jerked her head out the loading port, prompting him to turn as well.

Hux's jaw hit the floor the same time his stomach did. Before him, ships were firing and zooming passed, all soundless due to the new technology.

"Secondly, you're completely deaf to communication upstairs. That lets me do this,"

Hux turned in time to see a shoe meet his nose.

SWSWSW

Keeping one's balance whilst one's hands are tied behind their back is indeed a difficult task. Harder still when one is busy kicking the daylights out of the cruelest, sniveling enemy since Rey's husband.

"Rey!" Rose shouted, yanking her attention away from the bloodied Hux. Rose had tossed aside the info stick and had used the Force to grab Rey's elongated lightsaber. Using only one of the laser sides, Rose had quickly cut away her guards and now waited, knees bent, for phase two of the plan.

Rey backpedaled towards her and lifted her bound hands, breathing a sigh of relief with the feel of searing heat against her wrists. She whirled around, took her lightsaber, split it, and handed the lit sword to Rose whilst she ignited hers and turned her back to her companion.

Gathered around them were some forty Stormtroopers, all with blasters raised. The only reason they didn't fire was moaning at their feet, a bloody heap of rubbish they didn't want to injure.

"What was step two again," Rose asked, barely turning her head for Rey to hear her.

Rey grinned. "We have your Supreme Leader!" She shouted, her voice echoing in the hangar. "Surrender now, or we will cut through you!"

The officers, distinguished only by a red plastic fin on their shoulders, looked to one another. They had no orders, they had no contact. This was beyond their protocol, beyond their training.

"Fire!" Hux shouted, earning a swift kick from Rey.

The Stormtroopers hesitated, unsure of whom to follow. One wrong hit, and their leader was dead.

A blast went off from above them, turning half of the room as six Stormtroopers fell to the glossy floor.

Rey and Rose didn't hesitate. They surged forward, and swung their lightsabers, slicing in half a combined thirteen Stormtroopers in their first swings. The rest was a whirlwind, a combination of swings, Force deflections, and jabs and screams. Rey's voice was so loud in her ears, she couldn't truly hear Rose's movement, but that hardly mattered. All she cared about, was clearing the way for Ben and Finn.

A sharp sense as strong as an arm, pulled Rey's attention away for a moment, drawing her attention to the overhead balcony. Dressed in indistinguishable white Stormtrooper armor, the presence of Koita Mathe peered in and out of a shielding corner, his aura one of deep concern.

"Get Ben and the others in here," Rey hissed. "Leave these to us."

She felt a hiss of nerves, but felt him cease firing and bolt down the corridor. She exhaled, and turned to face the sixteen that remained. They trembled, the Force ringing their thoughts in her ears. Some had families. Most didn't. They weren't going to give up, though. They were going to maintain their duty as much as they were capable. Rey lifted her lightsaber higher, and screamed at them.

SW

Koita Mathe marched through the corridors of the _Sidious_ , saluting what officers ran passed, and shooting anyone who asked questions. As he moved, a whistle came to his lips, one of perfect gravitas of this particular mission. Three low notes slowly blown, followed by two quick lows, and a succession of high then low notes in a swooping pattern. He whistled it perfectly, even as he dialed the correct number to the secondary loading bay.

Kylo sauntered in, followed on his right flank by his new student, and his left by Fraja. Koita Mathe pulled off his mask and exhaled, then bowed at the waist. "Supreme Leader," He breathed.

"Where's Rey?" Kylo asked, eyeing him as he passed.

"Fighting fit, Supreme Leader," Koita Mathe told him. "We should join her."

"Don't like the sound of that," His student, Finn muttered.

Fraja halted before Koita Mathe, looking him up and down with a smirk on his face. "Were you the bride or the groom?"

Koita Mathe smirked, "Just because your girlish figure can't pull off white."

SW

Rey wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. New Stormtroopers had arrived, a dozen or so much like the Praetorian Guards that she and Ben had fought in Snoke's throne room. Rose could hold her own, but these guards were so much stronger than what she was used to. She could fight Ben, but not for long. She needed constant help and had already sustained a serious cut to the side courtesy of a knife.

Rey parried a sword and killed it's wielder, then slung an arm across a panting Rose. "Just breathe," She told her. "Pace yourself."

Rose obeyed, but shook at the knees. She was beyond her limits and they both knew it. What was worse was it appeared that their opponents seemed to know it as well.

They felt Ben before they saw his black figure descend from the top railing. Like blackened rain, the Knights of Ren descended upon the red and white figures tormenting their women. In a flurry of red lightsabers, along with a renewed spirited white, the knights attacked.

"Get to the command center!" Rey shouted at Rose. "Shut them down!"

Rose doused her lightsaber and tossed it back to Rey, waiting for her to recoonect her staff before touching her side that bled. She huffed, and squeezed her eyes in pain, "M-master," She gasped, looking at her hand covered in her own blood.

Ben lopped off the head of his opponent before moving towards Rose. Using the hilt of his sword, he touched her wound, inspiring an even greater cry of anguish followed by the smell of cooking meat.

"Where's Beebee-Ate?!" Rey called.

"Should be up above!" Brunfar shouted back, pointing a curved red lightsaber to the balcony.

"Where's Hux?" Ben shouted, joining Rey's side.

"He was here," Rey told him, looking around.

"He's in the throne room," Koita Mathe hollered, easily chopping in half his opponent, leaving two (he had stripped off his white armor). "It's above the command bridge!"

Rey looked to Ben, the both of them thinking the same thing. Rey whirled around, and saw Finn panting alongside Rose, ushering her towards the belly of the ship. "Sever communications!" She shouted. "Find Beebee-Ate!"

They nodded, moving swiftly forward.

The last Guard fell, leaving the Knights in a triumphant pant. At once, Ben turned to Rey, and took her arm gently. "You alright?" He asked, his face soft.

Rey nodded, "Yeah. You?"

He had blood upon his tunic, but otherwise he looked normally, save for sweaty hair and a sopping face.

"Kylo," Koita Mathe called, drawing their attention to him. He didn't look at them, he simply stared at the ground and danced his hands to the side of him as though churning the Force to work in his favor. "Send our Empress back to the ship," He whispered.

"No," Rey told him, lifting her chin. "I go where he goes."

"What is it, brother?" Romto asked, shifting his weight and wide, flat lightsaber.

Koita Mathe scoffed, and looked up. "Well, if she is determined, then come this way."

Without another word, Koita Mathe turned his heel and led them out of the hangar, leaving them to step over burnt bodies to follow. Rey held Ben's hand as they moved, rubbing her thumb over the switch on her lightsaber as she did so, waiting, itching, for the next fight.

SW

"I have to stop!" Rose cried, clutching her side and trying not to cry.

Finn let her, looking both ways down the corridor. "What's up?"

She looked up at him, her body very much spent. "Something's not right," She managed to gasp.

"What do you mean?" Finn asked, leaning into her.

"I don't know," She gasped. "Around us. With the Knights of Ren. Something's not right. Something… won't go right."

From around them, BB-8 whistled, distracting them for a moment. The moment he rolled close to Rose, his hoots became lower.

"What's that mean?" Finn demanded, looking from the droid to Rose.

"He says the Knights are up to something," Rose told him, leaning her head back against the wall. "He says he heard them talking on the ship. Something about Rey's condition being a problem for them and Kylo."

"Her, condition?" Finn asked, lifting his eyebrow. Then, a thought hit him like a torpedo. "You don't think Rey's…?"

"She could be," Rose breathed. "But that's a problem, a _major_ problem."

"Why, what do you mean?"

"I saw it in a meditation. The reason Jedi weren't allowed to marry and still be knights was because it became dangerous for both the mother and the baby. The Force… it could, somehow, kill them both."

Finn leaned away, his innards seeming to evaporate. "'Kill… them both?'"

Rose held a hand to her stomach and looked at it. She wasn't bleeding, but she looked to be in sheer pain.

"Can you hold on?" He asked, a calm resolution settling over him.

She nodded. "I just… need rest."

"Can you make it back to the ship?"

She smiled as much as her exhausted body could allow. "Yeah," She breathed. "I can."

Finn leaned forward and kissed her, running his fingers through her sweaty hair. He pulled away, and nodded, the both of them understanding. He turned to BB-8 and dropped his hands to his sides. "Mainframe, bud. Let's do it."

SW

Hux strode into the Command Bridge, holding his broken arm as he moved. It was an unbelievable pain, one that nearly caused him to cut his bottom lip from chomped teeth

as he dragged himself in.

"What. Is. Happening?!" He demanded.

"Sir!" Colonel Cutter called, striding towards him, arms outstretched to catch him. "The Rebels are putting up a decent fight. I fear that we will be severely wounded if we do not call for reinforcements."

"Then do it!" Hux snarled.

"Colonel Cutter, sir!" A lieutenant called, "Something seems to be interfering with our communications board!"

Hux huffed his way to the railing, grabbing on with his better elbow in time to see all screens on the command bridge yank sideways in two, awful successions.

SW

Poe shouted as he dodged yet another TIE fighter, watching as the Rebel fleet held on to it's last inch of hope.

"Let's try this one more time," He muttered, punching in the right coordinates. " _Sidious,_ this is Rebel Commander, do you copy?"

Static filled his intercoms, followed by one quick yelp of, "Hello?" before filling with unsavory static once more.

"Sounds good to me," Poe told himself. He touched his commlink, "Alright Rebels! The First Order's flying blind, let's take advantage of it!"

SW

It hurt Rey to use the Force. She tried to see ahead of her, to feel what was safe for her and Ben, but her stomach clenched uncomfortably to the point that it plain hurt to reach out into that peaceful void. She shook her head, keeping abreast of Ben and hoping against hope that nothing came against them.

"Alright, empress?" Koita Mathe asked, his eyes locked forward, blaster at the ready.

"I…" She swallowed, "Keep me informed."

"My pleasure," He breathed.

SW

Finn fired six shots down the corridor, effectively killing three of four Stormtroopers and frightening the last one. He turned his head over his shoulder to shout at BB-8.

"Talk to me BB-8, what are we dealing with?"

BB-8 turned the rotating cog several times, whistling back to him. Communications down on the First Order, He chirped. They're completely open.

"Great," Finn breathed, a blaster shot zinging by his ear. "Where's Rose?" He demanded as he returned fire.

She made it to the transport, BB-8 answered. She's waiting for us.

Finn looked out over the chamber, seeing extra fuel cells stored into this area to better aid in independent function of the generators for the mainframes. If they were blown up, if they were lit on fire gradually, then this entire ship and it's communications would be ended for good. Any lieutenant could send a distress signal to secondary flagships. This ship needed to be destroyed, immediately.

"Hurry up there, BB-8," Finn told him. "We have work to do."

SW

There were Stormtroopers guarding the doors to the Command Bridge. A simple task to handle if given the option of seven trained mercinaries and a Jedi. The moment the door opened, Hux launched himself onto his throne, his heart leaping into his chest. From his armrest, he grabbed a small, hideable blaster, and stared down the smoky corridor, waiting, ready.

Two beams of light, one red, one white, cut through the smoke.

Around them, med dressed in black, those Hux recognized to be the garments of the Knights of Ren, thundered inside with lightsabers drawn. Hux fired at them, shouting until his throat hurt, gripping the armrests of his throne.

Kylo Ren, tall and imposing, hurtled in, easily deflecting Hux's blasts aimed at him. He swung his lightsaber, and, without hesitation, sliced Hux and the throne in half from the waist. Hux hesitated, what thoughts going through him consisting of memories of his father, his dealings with Captain Phasma, Veela… and a name. a perfect name. One ready to be given to a child… his, child.

SW

Rey held up her lightsaber to three lieutenants who lifted their hands in surrender, falling to their knees away from their monitors. They could be useful later. She whirled around, her hair flying in a circle around her shoulders. It had gotten quiet, far too quiet for her taste and her stomach churned once again when she felt an involuntary twinge from the Force.

"Take your place, brother." Fraja commanded, gesturing to the General's seat, the smoking throne at the command bridge. Brunfar moved and yanked the lower corpse from the throne, even dusting it with his sleeve before moving aside.

"What is this?" Rey spat, looking from Fraja to her husband. "'Your place'?"

"He didn't tell you?" Koita Mathe's tender voice whispered, his body sauntering into her view.

"Of course he didn't," Fraja sneered, eyes locked onto the man in question's face. He wasn't answering Rey, he was answering the Knights. Ben turned, his attention on Fraja, though he didn't look at him. "You saw Rey by your side," Fraja continued "Now here she is, your beautiful wife. You vowed when you became a Knight to serve the First Order absolutely as the sole order of the galaxy, guiding our brothers forward. You mentored a new generation of apprentices that we couldn't have fathomed possible. Now here's the final portion," He gestured to the seat of command. "Take your place at the seat of honor, Kylo."

Rey felt her head shaking in utter disbelief. "Ben?" She whimpered, looking from him to the throne, then back again. "What is this? What's happening?"

"It's simple," Koita Mathe's voice cooed. "This was the deal he made with us when he first brought you onto our home. He would train you to help him reclaim his rightful throne." He stepped in front of her, sweeping his eyes up and down her frame, "And now he's done that."

Rey's jaw slackened, and her heart felt like it was stopping. Ahch-To, their training. His genuine closeness… Jakku… was that… all a ruse? What about their marriage? When he held her at night, their dreaming of a new home…?

Ben lingered, eyeing the throne, listening as the Knights as they moved around him, encouraging him to take his place upon the throne.

"Kylo," Fraja urged, "A throne can be made for our empress, brother, you know that. Just take yours, Kylo." He straightened slightly, his smile wavering. "Kylo?"

Koita Mathe's head turned, as did Romto's and Brunfar's. Serotti shifted her weight and moved to stand beside Rey, eyes focused on Ben.

"Kylo," Fraja said, his voice lowering. "Take, your throne."

"MY NAME IS BEN SOLO!"

They saw his lightsaber before they saw what he had done with it. In a blinding rage, he had swung it and thrusted until the long sabre was lodged, hilt-deep, into Fraja's chest.

Serotti let out an earsplitting scream that would have echoed throughout the ship if it hadn't been cut off suddenly. Rey inhaled sharply watching as Serotti doubled over her lightsaber. Rey turned it off, letting the woman hit the ground with a loud _smack!_

The Knights turned and Koita Mathe took two steps aside, lowering his chin as his eyes flinched from husband to wife. Ben was now a traitor to the cause, one subject to tribunal and punishment. And the jury just reached a verdict.

Koita Mathe, new leader of the class, made one simple movement, a twitch towards Ben, and lightsabers ignited, three Knights moving to Ben and two to Rey. Rey dismantled her lightsaber in time to catch both swinging reds fly at her.

They fought, husband and wife against an enemy so skilled, and so precise, it was like fighting a mirror. Rey gritted her teeth as she maneuvered around the command bridge, deflecting and attacking the twin nightmare that came at her without mercy and with such tact Rey had little to no time to think. She needed the Force! She needed the Force! But she couldn't fight if she couldn't focus of anything but the pain. So, she alternated. For every engagement, she had two seconds of Force sight, guiding her and giving her warning. She whirled around, and landed a solid blow to Brunfar's throat, instantly killing him.

Maa'qui, the one with the green complexion and wicked teeth, crouched down with this lightsaber, snarling and spitting before her. Rey used her portion of the Force to look at Ben. He had killed Zakar straight away, and was finishing with Romtao when he straightened, eyes ahead.

Suddenly, a pain, a blinding pain, seared through Rey's leg, weaking her opposite ankle and causing her to fall over with a scream louder than anything she had ever emitted before. She clutched her leg at the knee… until it wasn't there anymore. She looked down, inhaling sharply, only to find that her leg had been severed from the knee downward, the smell of burned and cooking meat revolting her as she inhaled, feeling the oxygen scrape her insides. Her head pounded, and she could feel cold sweat rush down her temples. No, She thought, Ben! No!

Koita Mathe sauntered around her, turning off his lightsaber, his hand dancing on his side. Maa'qui marched to her drawing his lightsaber, sword down, to his chest. "For Fraja," He growled.

Koita Mathe's hand grabbed his shoulder, halting him. "What grows within her is more important than her deeds," He told him.

Rey looked up at him, tears of pain and terror sliding down her cheeks. Her legs! The seemingly only part of her body that could propel her through the harshest days! Her freedom!

Maa'qui flashed his pointed teeth as he nodded slowly. "She's pregnant."

Rey froze for a moment, hearing the haunting reality settle over her. The reason for her lack of ability with the Force made so clear…

"Rey!" Ben screamed, eliminating Hvarthan.

Koita Mathe was quick. He had a blaster, a small one, and fired it at Ben, six shots in succession. It only took one to land on Ben's stomach.

"BEN!" Rey screamed, releasing her sorely aching leg to flail onto her back, and roll towards him. One leg might have been gone, but both were sorely aching like they both were missing. Severed nerves seared through her lower half like a thousand individual cuts coated with acid. Ben! He groaned as he clamped a bare hand over moistening brown tunic.

A shot like that should have killed him. It would have if it had been a normal man. But Ben was far from normal. He was a Jedi Master, and a husband of a dying wife. He reached his free hand out, clawed a tile, and slid himself forward towards where Rey crawled desperately to him.

An explosion erupted somewhere down below, one powerful enough to knock both Koita Mathe and Maa'qui off their feet. Koita Mathe landed on top of Rey, using his body to shield her.

"What was that?" Koita Mathe shouted above Rey's ear.

He was answered by a scream. Rey moved as best she could, whimpering as she did so, to Maa'qui. He flailed his arms around his head, clutching and releasing his temples as he screamed. Suddenly, his eye socket caved in, followed by his ear, and his perpendicular skull.

Rey let out a short scream, shock and repulse flinching her body away from Maa'qui's falling corpse, Koita Mathe's arm drawing her close as he made similar noise of disgust.

She whirled around to where Ben lay. He clutched his stomach, and he panted hard with his arm extended towards them as he had been. But, his look was one of pure, unfiltered rage that he trembled and tround his teeth together until she could almost hear them.

"Let. Her. Go," He growled.

Suddenly, the heaviness of Koita Mathe's body left Rey and his scream filled her ears. The Knight fell back and writhed upon his shoulders, gripping his temples as he panted, chest scraping against his lungs.

"Ben," Rey cried, only a hand away from her husband.

"I can save them!" Koita Mathe screamed.

Silence descended for a moment. "What?" Ben demanded, twitching his direction.

From below, another explosion, one smaller than the one before it, blew hot smoke into the command bridge.

"Feel it, Ben," Koita Mathe spat. "Now's the time to get out, and you're spent! You cannot make it and save your wife and firstborn."

Ben flinched, looking quickly from him to Rey, then back again.

Rey's vision shifted without warning. The pain wasn't easing, and she was certain that something happened besides an involuntary amputation. Perhaps she was losing the baby? No! She couldn't lose something so precious so quickly! So foolishly!

Koita Mathe gave one quick, "Gah!" before dropping his body onto the floor, letting him pant for a moment. He rolled onto his side, his eyes red from the pressure upon his head. "Let me… go, and I will take her." He panted and swallowed, then continued, "She will live until the child is born. Then I shall raise the Pure One myself. Raise him to be the master that you should have been!"

"Ben," Rey pleaded, the taste of salt was bitter on her tongue. "Ben, don't. I won't leave you! Please," She dug her fingernails into the tiles, doing her best to close the distance to him, "Don't leave me. Don't let me go!"

Ben stared, stunned, at his wife as she tried with all her might to go to him.

The ground beneath them shuddered, proving it difficult for Koita Mathe to rise to his feet, but that didn't matter. Ben's warm brown eyes met Rey's, his face a picture of torment. He couldn't watch out for the three of them, if Koita Mathe would even let them go in peace. Assuming he did, Ben couldn't lift her with his wound and carry her the miles of corridors to an escape pod, (assuming Koita Mathe didn't blow them up on his way out).

Rey shook her head, knowing the turn of his thoughts. "No," She cried, appealing to his soul rather than his mind. "No!"

A single tear rolled down his face and he sniffed. "I love you Rey Solo," He cried.

Then he lifted his hand, and Rey's world went black.

 _Review! Review! Re-View!_


	29. Chapter 29

Merry Christmas!

Chapter 29

 _Sidious_

Finn pounded through the burning ship, BB-8 on his heels. He had wanted to blow the ship, he hadn't expected it to be _this_ big, though. He skidded to a halt, seeing from afar the sight of Koita Mathe rushing through the enflamed ship with a body…

His heart skipped a beat. No, it wasn't a body! _Rey!_

He flinched forward, but as quickly as he did so, a thought speared his mind: where was Master Ren? He would never, _never,_ allow anyone but himself to carry Rey off like this without him being at least behind her, eyes always upon her. Finn panted, the heat searing through his robe. BB-8 zinged protest, nudging him whilst beeping rapidly.

Finn looked down at him, his heart aching. "Get back to Rose," He commanded. "Tell her to keep an eye on Koita Mathe!"

BB-8 almost jumped backwards. And where will you be?

"I've got to go somewhere," Finn swallowed, "Hurry!"

He watched the rotund droid speed off, unfrightened by the banging of bursting fuel lines and roaring fires. Finn inhaled, then closed his eyes.

The Force swirled around him, making him feel the firy world around him like a food market rather than chaos. But where was the one he sought? Where was Master Ren?

He gasped when he found his light within the Force. Once a blazing beacon that could have guided ships, was now a waning candle flame. Something had definitely happened to him. Something that he had warned about. Finn opened his eyes and bolted full speed down the corridor that the Force directed, willing contact between him and Rose.

Rose, He urged, Get Beebee-Ate and run! Meet me by the Command Bridge and run! Leave the Knights of Ren alone and run!

He shook off the Force in time to nearly break his neck tripping over the body of a Knight of Ren. He lifted himself onto his forearms and looked around. Bodies, all dressed (well, with the exception of the one cut in half) in Knight Black were strewn about, lightsabers still in their hands.

Only one body moved. His shoulders shivered as if he was crying, and muffled words came from his corpse. Finn scrambled to his feet and jumped over the corpses, stopping only to kneel over Master Ren's body. One of his hands lay reaching out, gripping the tile, and the other clutched his side that bled out into a pool beside him, his entire body hiccupping tears as he wept with abandon upon the floor. What words Finn could hear, were incoherent, but "sorry," was certainly one of them.

"Master Ren!" Finn exclaimed, placing his hands on his shoulers. "What happened?"

Finn moved to lift him, but only allowed an outpouring of blood to seep from his chest, the hot ooze leaking over his fingers.

"She's… gone," Master Ren cried, his nails scratching the tiles as though he was still trying to reach for something that wasn't there.

"I saw that!" Finn told him, looking around at the bodies. "Master Ren, _what happened_? Why did you let him take her?"

For the first time, his tired, soaked brown eyes met Finn's. "They… I, turned against them. I chose…" He swallowed hard, "Her."

So that was it. Finn could see Master Ren's color in the Force (if the ethereal shifting of the Force could be simplified to mere colors) had changed. It was a lighter blue, a softer tone, a stark contrast to his previous crimson red spotted with black. He changed for Rey, and what was worse, he made it public among those whom he loved. Clearly, they didn't agree with his choice.

"Master," Finn began, though including the usual surname didn't feel right, "We have to get you out of here."

Master Ren shoved him with enough strength to offset Finn. "Go!" He bellowed. "Get out of here!"

Finn did a double take. "Excuse me?" He demanded.

Master Ren pressed his cheek against the tiles and exhaled, his body seeming to deflate in his anguish. "You, you're getting married. Go and be with her… while you still can."

A portion of Finn's mind wondered how he knew, the other three quarters told that one to shut up. "You're giving up?!" Finn demanded. "After all the two of you have gone through? After all the _crap_ you put me through getting to Rey, you're just going to give up on her?"

"I! CAN'T!" He winced, and turned his face away from him before finishing in a softer yell, "Protect! Her!" He inhaled sharply, his words echoing in the room around them. "I can't protect my family!"

Finn crawled to him, his muscles taut with rage and hissed, "So let your family protect _you._ "

That earned a turn of the head and a single brown eye rimmed in red.

"Your family is just like mine, Ben!" Finn told him. "It is _chosen!_ There aren't many of us with blood relatives left. That is a luxury that we can't afford! You, are the older brother I've never had! The one who's more handsome, more qualified than I am! Even with the wife I always wanted, you are my family! You see this!" He fanned his arms out to the bodies on his left and right, churning his fury as he moved, "You came at them with the best you've got! But guess what, that failed! We've _all_ failed, Ben! So let your family help you. And I will be _damned_ if I let you die here alone, while my sister, your wife, is left in their hands!"

Master Ren shifted his body, his hand moving to cover his wound better. He swallowed, "The wound, needs to be cauterized."

Without hesitation, Finn asked, "Where's your lightsaber?"

"Broken," He said breathily, his pallor turning a sickening shade of white as he breathed. "Koita Mathe… find Rey's."

The move was so natural, it took Finn a moment to realize that he was doing it. He had extended his arm in a sturdy limb as strong as the hardest metal. He knew Rey's aura, could feel it in his sleep. A little speck of her was nothing. He waited, feeling that speck grow until it slapped into his hand, a long piece of metal that could detach at the wielder's whim.

At once, Finn ignited it, the searing ivory light illuminating his face.

"Don't impale me, please."

SWSWSW

 _Ikher Dawn_

Poe rushed through the ship, his emotions teetering on joy at the entire First Order High Command fleet had been wiped out, and despair at the news coming from Rose's quick transmission. Rey! The Indominable Rey, taken?

He opened the door to the MedBay and halted, seeing the shirtless Kylo/Ben lying on his back as a surgical droid operated on his wound. It wasn't seeing him incapacitated that made Poe freeze, it was the entire feeling of rage that emitted from him.

To his right, Rose gasped as she stood, clutching a wrapped stomach with one hand and Finn's shoulders with another. A thousand questions bubbled upon Poe's lips, but one look to BB-8 and he swallowed them. They had been outnumbered, and though they had a phenomenal teacher in Kylo/Ben as well as Rey, Finn and Rose were no match for the Knights of Ren.

Poe cleared his throat, summoning a zombie-like rise out of Kylo/Ben as he sat up and kicked his long legs over the side. "What happens now?" Poe asked.

Finn and Rose looked up at him, then turned as one to look at their master. He sat, his fingers digging into the mattress as the surgical droids worked on him. He looked up from beneath his mussed hair, the feeling of deep, unease emitting from him.

"Ahch-To," He growled.

"Is Rey alive?" Poe asked, shifting his weight.

"Yes," He answered. "She'll live until the baby is born. That, is our deadline."

His voice brooked no argument. His eyes held within them such intensity that Poe was reminded of rocks that claimed oceangoing vessels along their sharp, and deep spears. There were no questions to be raised. He was going to regain his wife, come hell or high water.

SWSWSW

5 Months Later

 _Nest II_

Koita Mathe would not be still. He stalked through the halls of the ship, barking orders at the apprentice knights and even the children. Rana, his nervous apprentice, was knighted properly, but had little to say about her Master's behavior as of late. His only solace came in the hours when he would enter the Supreme Leader's quarters, spending his late hours there whilst no less than six guards were posted outside.

No one was allowed to enter the Supreme Leader's quarters except for a handful of servants designated for entering and leaving. Shifts were strictly kept, and no one spoke of what happened inside or, outside, of those opulent rooms. The one who did cross those barriers was Koita Mathe, when and if he desired to inform it's prisoner.

On that day, Koita Mathe sauntered into the Supreme Leader's quarters, sweeping passed the black furniture emptied of it's delicate and otherwise harm-inducing ornaments, and stepped up into the master chamber, seeing it's sole occupant chained to the bed by a heavy shackle around a silver, gleaming mechanical leg. She lay as she always had since her stomach had swelled, arms crossed under her bosom and face turned away, out the balcony where she had, once, tried to throw herself off of. Koita Mathe took his place on the bench at the foot of the bed, sweeping his eye first on the heavy shackle, then to the beautiful woman it was secured to.

"Good morning, empress," He cooed, studying her face.

Rey said nothing; She usually didn't. She was dressed in a simple, light black gown with an embroidered red and gold overcoat. Her stomach was too big to cover with the buttons (there had once been a tying cord), but she was beyond caring about modesty. Her hair had been pulled back to better keep the illusion of being well-kept, but Koita Mathe -and most importantly Rey- knew that it was a lie.

"You didn't eat your breakfast," Koita Mathe told her, flicking his eyes to her untouched tray.

She sniffed, refusing to look at him, though he caught an eye twitch to her food.

He sighed, "I'm surprised the baby hasn't disagreed with your starve tactic, this time."

She turned a disgusted eye to him, and set her jaw.

"You know you must take care of the," He paused. He wanted desperately to call the baby by it's true name: the Pure one, but Rey would rather starve herself to death than let that prophecy come true of her baby. "Little One," He decided. "What are you craving today?"

He let her eat whatever she pleased. He might not be privy to procuring children, but he knew that the art of pregnancy caused the body to crave peculiar items. Rey's were bacon and chocolate served atop juicy, roasted meat, and an absolute revulsion to garden peas. Some people grumbled, but not too loudly. They wouldn't dare with Koita Mathe.

She exhaled through her nostrils, making them flare as her eyes narrowed. "Before this baby is born, I'm going to kill you."

Koita Mathe couldn't help but smile. "Now _that,_ Empress, is something I would love to be privy to."

She tightened her hand into a claw, a move so quick Koita Mathe couldn't stop her. But he certainly felt what she did. A vice clapped around his throat, cutting off his oxygen in a decisive gasp. But, much to his delight, the move only lasted a few seconds as Rey let out a cry and shifted in her bed, rubbing a hand over her stomach.

Koita Mathe inhaled deeply, doing his best to keep his chest from rising too high, to keep her from having the satisfaction of getting to him.

"That's right," He gasped. "Use the Force, lose Ben's baby. What is most important to you, Empress?"

She shot him a look of such pure hatred, he could feel it. He stood, a lithe movement despite the attack, and stood over her. "I'm ordering you a hearty Midday. Be a good girl and eat it."

She leaned up and bared her teeth at him, "Rana says you want to marry her, why would you marry a girl who still thinks she's a child?"

He looked at her, taken aback from this gathering of information. He had only asked Rana two days ago to consider marriage…

"She needs to grow up," He told her softly. "This will make her realize that she's been a woman for many years now."

She seethed, "Or it will kill her."

Koita Mathe couldn't help himself. He sat down on the edge of the bed where her feet had previously occupied. He leaned forward, almost close enough to kiss her, and whispered, "Does it kill you to know that you are a widow? That your husband abandoned you to me, then died most unceremoniously upon the _Sidious_?"

She smiled, but the look in her eyes was hollow, cruel even. "No," She whispered.

"Why not?" He asked, inhaling the smell of exotic flower oil upon her skin.

"Because I may not be able to use the Force, but you can." The glitter in her eyes returned. "You, you've been restless, and put everyone on edge. You can't explain why, or see the future as you once did. You don't know why, do you?"

Koita Mathe watched her, his body tense as he shook his head.

"Because my husband is alive, Koita Mathe. He's alive, and he is coming for me. Him and my family. They are coming for me and my baby will know it's father."

He opened his mouth to ask a question, to ask how could she "know" such things without her ability to use the Force, when the ship shuddered beneath his boots.

He turned his back on her, sending the Force about, feeling for disturbances. Panic, overpowering the peace of order upon the ship. They were being attacked!

A glint of silver crossed his eyes and he leaned back, blinking, only to feel Rey's breath come in a heated fury upon his ear, and the pounding thump of her metal foot against his back as something cold wrapped around his neck.

"This is how you die!" She screamed.

Koita Mathe grabbed at his throat, but the chain was designed to hold fast. He lifted his hand, determined to use the Force against her as he had in the past when she attacked him, but it was useless, somehow! He rocked back and forth, trying to dislodge her, or gain some breath to sustain him, but it wasn't coming.

He fell onto the bed on his side, trying feebly to roll over her, but her feet were well practiced and refused to allow him the satisfaction of life. It dawned on him in those last moments what she was using, what had escaped his detection for so long because it was itself, undetectable: the Dark Side of the Force. She couldn't use the Light Side as it appeared to be protecting her baby from her depressions and her attempts at suicide, and so found peace within the Dark Side.

The last thing Koita Mathe saw during his time in the Galaxy, was Rey unwrapping her leg chain and with a solid _yank!_ , freed herself, and took Koita Mathe's crimson lightsaber.

SW

Finn and Rose were unrecognizable to anyone tracking their progress as Jedi. They slew their enemies as though they were paper, even the hardened Knights. It was easy with Master Solo's training, and easier still to have him fight in a flurry of brown and white robes in the walkway parallel to them, seeking the one whom he desired like a drowning man's next breath.

He turned, hearing a noise and… feeling something. He couldn't say what, exactly. But he _knew_ that presence, that call within the Force. He rose his lightsaber, a stunning electric blue crossblade made from the second crystal that Rey had saved, and brought it down across the chest of Rana, Koita Mathe's apprentice, sending her to the ground with the smallest of smiles, before looking over the edge of the balcony.

He hopped onto it, shedding his brown cloak as he did so to reveal pure white robes and looked across the ship, seeing Finn and Rose jump likewise onto the balcony edge. Without a second thought, he leapt over the edge, landing on his feet and waiting whilst Finn and Rose laned and began clearing the way for the one whom he waited for.

She came, dressed in an elegant red and gold robe with a thin, nearly translucent black gown. Across her face, the blood of a stranger dripped, and behind her, the chain that must have held her prisoner.

Ben stood shivering from the sight of her, his white robes stained with red and burn marks. Around him, balls of orange light burst and descended into small stars dying as the Resistance flooded in, destroying what they could. He moved forward, his hair sticking to his face and neck, his blue lightsaber still ignited. He swallowed, watching her approach him, sucked in a vacuum that belonged only to them.

They meet in the midst of the chaos, lightsabers spitting and buzzing. Ben is the first to turn off his lightsaber and immediately took Rey by the waist, taking his time to rub his free hand over her stomach, savoring how big it had gotten. She looked up at him, a hardened face though he remembered every facet, every curve. He leaned forward and kissed her, the colors of their garments intertwining to create one bold color: gray.

 _But wait! There's one more! Review please!_


	30. Chapter 30

_Fare thee well, y'all!_

Chapter 30

Endor

5 Years Later

Ben moved quickly, transferring the hot loaves of bread from the oven to the basket without burning his fingers. Behind him, a giggle resounded through the half-enclosed ovens and he turned, strands of hair twirling around him.

Han's glittering brown eyes watched him with playful mischief, his grubby little hands holding a sweet cake that his mother forbade him to eat before supper.

"Put that back," Ben warned, setting the basket down on the wooden table.

Han giggled again, bobbing his head back around the corner, inviting his father to come and play.

Ben narrowed his eyes, then burst around the baking table with a growing roar emitting from his throat, spreading his arms out to better illicit a scream from his son.

Han yelled with abandon, racing through the Lower Haven until he reached the sturdy metal ladder to the when he was forced to stuff the sweet cake into his mouth in order to climb like a squirrel to the spacious and open Top Haven. He took three steps, the pivotal direction towards his room, when his father's arm clamped onto him around the middle, lifted him and twirled him around in a series of endless twirls that caused Han to drop his sweet cake and laugh and close his eyes until his father had to stop or lose his balance.

"Where's mommy?" He asked, kissing Han's neck.

Han pointed, gesturing towards the rope bridge that had, hands-down, the best view of the sunset of the system. Sure enough, Rey was there, near the bridge itself, watching the sun set over the trees and Ewoks in their huts. She was swelling again, and so rubbed her pouting stomach as she looked, watching and smiling, possibly thinking of their future family.

"Hey, there," Ben called, tearing her attention away from the scenery.

"Hi," She grinned, turning to him.

"Hi Momma!" Han called, reaching out to her.

"I got you, bud," Ben told him, readjusting him on his hip, cancelling his want to be held.

"Look at that sky," Rey sighed, moving close to her husband and wrapping her arm around his waist. "The sun over so many trees."

"Yeah," Ben agreed, looking down at his wife. "It's beautiful."

An Ewok, one used to doing housework in the Haven to aid the Jedi students studies, waddled passed the Solo family, seeing the three of them, three black figures against the waning sun. A solid unit that could never be divided.

 _It was my pleasure to write this incredibly, freakishly long, fic. I learned so much about Star Wars lore, and I had a blast! Carry on, Knights. Carry on._


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